When You Least Expect It
by fluffy2001
Summary: Sequel to Take the Ducklings Bowling. A realistic but fun view of impending parenthood. ChaseCameron, ForemanOFC, and a little WilsonCuddy with House torment added in for fun.
1. Surprise!

**a/n: This is a continuation of my previous fic, Take the Ducklings Bowling. That is a very long but very fun and fluffy fic to read, so if you haven't I suggest you take time. However, if you want to read this without going through that exercise, I'll sum up. Chase and Cameron are married, Foreman is married to a very spunky woman named Pamela. Chase is a diagnostic attending at Princeton General, while Cameron and Foreman still work for House. Trust me, the fic is far more fun than that summary. **

**Okay, two warnings here. This still will be fluff, but I'm going to write about one of the more overused clichés in fandom. Sorry, but I promise this will be different, a very good different, just like with the previous fic. It will be very realistic since it draws from personal experience. It was the natural next step. **

**Second, halfway down there is a small yet slightly pornographic coffee drinking scene. Nothing too over the top, but very suggestive. If you blush at such things and don't want to subject yourself to that, skip the section as soon as you see "coffee". **

**Okay then, I welcome you to the next installment, When You Least Expect It (Expect it!). **

**-------------------------**

_I'll never make it to work this morning. I look like hell!_ Cameron was horrified by ghostly reflection in the mirror. Getting up this morning was an intense challenge in itself, how was getting ready going to be any easier?

She was so glad that Robert got called into work early this morning because she wouldn't be successful at hiding this. The opportunity to create suspicion was gone for now. The pretending everything was fine for the last couple of days was hard when she knew everything was not. No matter what though, Robert couldn't know her concerns. Not yet anyway.

He had too much to worry about these days. His new job was resulting in long hours and lots of difficult cases. He was doing good work and developing quite a reputation in such a short time, but it was often grueling and he was just a shell of a man by the time he got home. He couldn't know about her burden.

Maybe she was overreacting. This could be just a temporary spell and not at all what she suspected. Her stress levels were pretty high herself since it was only her and Foreman around to do the work. House wasn't in the mood at all to break in a new fellow and despite Cuddy's pleas hadn't gotten them more help. The work stress was probably just translating to physical exhaustion. Of course being part of a top notch diagnostics program, she knew when she heard a blatant lie.

-------------------------

"So what's wrong?" Foreman only had to look at her. He knew Cameron well enough to know when something wasn't right.

"Nothing, I'm great." She gave him a cheery smile that was so fake that it didn't take expert analysis to certify its falsehood.

"Great huh? Great as in 'good things are going to happen today' or great as 'great, I'm screwed'."

Cameron smiled, trying to make this one seem a little more genuine. "There is nothing wrong Foreman. How's Pamela doing? We haven't done lunch in a while."

"Oh, the fake out! I watch enough football to know the end reverse when I see it. You just handed the ball off to Randy Moss who ran for the end zone. I'll pretend to be wowed now instead of remembering what we were talking about."

Cameron rolled her eyes. "Sports metaphors again. That doesn't work on everyone you know."

"It works enough. Anyway, you're right. You haven't seen Pamela in a while. As a matter of fact, you and Chase haven't been out with us in a while. We're overdue."

"You might have to schedule an appointment through Princeton General in order for that to happen," she mentioned with bitter tone.

"Is that the problem? Chase hasn't been around?"

"No, I'm a doctor too you know. We both are very patient when it comes to our careers." Cameron stopped herself, realizing that Foreman had tricked her into hinting there was a problem. "Anyway, it doesn't matter, because there is nothing wrong."

"Well you have a really crappy way of hiding it." The voice coming through the conference room door said.

"Good morning to you House." She avoided eye contact by keeping her head down in her coffee mug. She was aware of his ability to tell what was wrong by just looking into her eyes.

He walked over her, grabbed her chin and pulled her eyes even with his. He took a long hard gaze allowing an expression of pure evil joy to paint on his face. He broke out in mischievous laughter. "Oh, I see what's wrong. Score one for koala boy!"

Cameron pulled herself away and folded her arms while throwing him an icy stare. "Since I'm not aware of what you are talking about, you will have to fill me in."

"You suspect it, but you don't want to know it. You'll find out soon enough. Boy I can't wait to see the look on Chase's face."

"Consider you don't see Chase anymore, I don't know how such a thing would be possible." She put her hand over her mouth. Damn she had to stop dropping hints.

Now Foreman joined House in diabolical amusement. Cameron was spared further harassment by the sound of all their pagers going off. "Damn, fun time over. Better go do the doctor thing." House said rolling his eyes.

"Saved by the bell," Cameron told Foreman with her own satisfied little smile as they headed out the door.

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"I've got a blood test that needs to be processed." Cameron handed off the sample to Nurse Brenda.

"You took blood? I thought she only had a sore throat."

"Nope, there is another private matter. We are checking just to be sure."

"Okay, you should have this in an hour." Brenda witnessed the patient walking out the clinic doors. "Doesn't she want to know the results?"

"She needs to be somewhere. I'll call her with the results. Thanks Brenda."

Clinic duty was actually a nice distraction today. Cameron could just let her preoccupations go and worry about other people for a change. Sure, the ailments and stories were sometimes painful, disturbing actually if one tried to ponder the stupidity the human race was capable of, but she genuinely found herself caring today.

It was just last night that Robert wanted to hear about the clinic cases that she had earlier in the week. He recalled with fondness the routine nature and break from the norm that the clinic used to provide.

_"You always hated clinic duty. In the last year you almost tried to avoid it as much as House." _

"_You don't know what you've got until it's gone." Chase replied._

"I hope these were the results you were looking for." Those words from Brenda snapped her out of her reminisce. "Sorry, what was that?"

"The lab results. You might want to call your patient pretty quickly. She's pregnant." Brenda handed her the file.

Cameron did everything on the outside to hide her surprise, but on the inside a wave of shock felt like it was tearing her organs all apart. "Uh, no, she wasn't hoping for this. I'll need a little time to talk to her. She will be very upset."

"You'll need some privacy then. Use exam room 3."

"Thanks Brenda."

Cameron calmly went into exam room 3 and closed the door. She opened the file in her hand and studied the lab results with intense disbelief. After a few stunned minutes she crumpled the page with the results into a ball and threw it in her pocket. She then fell backward on the exam table and stared motionless at the ceiling. How did this happen? She knew exactly how it happened which is why she felt so stupid. She's a doctor. She knew that backup protection was important. All it took was one time.

_Great, now I'm sounding like an after school special, _she scolded to herself. It's not like she was some teenager or unwed mother. She was a married woman with a man that she loved dearly. This was just happening way sooner than they planned. They could adjust.

Except they weren't ever planning this. So then, if she could adjust so much, why were tears streaming down her face?

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Chase had just about enough of his day. It was late, he was tired, all he wanted was to go home and curl up with his wife. Hopefully she was there after not having the same long day he had. He knew she had a case, so there was always the risk she would have to stay late, but he was hoping that if that was the case Foreman had it covered this time.

He let out a sigh of relief to find Allison stretched on the couch sound asleep. She looked pretty peaked, so he assumed she had a rough day after all. He leaned over and gave her a soft kiss on her forehead. She stirred to find those gorgeous blue-green eyes staring at her lovingly. "Hey, you're home." She struggled to give him even a faint smile because she was too wiped.

"You look like you've had a bad day. I might have enough energy for one more act of healing today."

Cameron wasn't about to let that happen tonight, although they certainly wouldn't have to be overly concerned about protection for a while. Still, she wasn't ready to tell him. "Thanks, but save your strength. Just hold me and promise never to let go."

Chase at first smiled at the notion, but it quickly dropped as he could tell through her eyes that she was holding something back. "Is something wrong?" he asked stroking her fly-away hair away from her face.

"No, nothing is wrong. I'm just very tired." Of course she had been saying that to Foreman, House and herself all day. They didn't buy it, so how would Robert?

"I have a feeling you have been saying that all day. Did something happen that you don't want to talk about? I'm always here for you, even if I'm overworked and tired too."

"I know that. No, I'm just very, very tired and my job has just been crazy lately. Just hold me. Let's curl up in our bed together and pretend that we are the only two people on earth."

With a sweet smile he swept her up off the couch into his arms. He did love how her light weight allowed him to do that when she needed it. She more than looked like she needed it this evening. "I've always loved your ideas. Come on, there is a bed waiting for us."

------------------------------------------

House always had pain in the morning. Today wasn't any better or worse than normal, but his mood was ten times crankier. He must have done everything wrong to be this way. He got up on the wrong side of the bed, was having a bad hair day, forgot to report to Houston that he had a problem and whatever other overused idioms described that his life today was hell.

The office was strangely empty when he arrived. Cameron and Foreman must have been occupied with that…that…what was it that they were supposed to focus on? Oh yeah, they had a patient. Better them than he. He headed straight for the one thing that could only make this morning right.

He was living purely for this experience this morning. A great cup of coffee on a bad morning like this was no different than having hot sex with a knock 'em dead gorgeous woman. It looked inviting, smelled great and he was eager to wrap his lips around something warm and wet. He poured the liquid with frenetic anticipation; foreplay had now begun as he caressed the mug in his hand. The aroma when he lifted the mug up to his nose made him tingle with excitement, the steam rising hit him in the face like a heavy breath of someone whispering his name in total yearning. The smell was different this time, but that was no different then entangling himself with a hot babe for the first time. It was attractive, it was sexy, it was animalistic, and it was about to rock his world.

He took a sip, but its bitter flavor ripped his pleasure to shreds as if he had discovered that the sultry woman who was fondling him was really a man. His faced turned sour and he spit out the coffee, droplets flying in the air everywhere.

Cameron and Foreman arrived just in time to witness House's run in with the morning coffee. He glared at them both, positively stunned by what he just experienced. "Who the hell made decaf???!" He shouted at them furiously.

"Uh, I stopped at Starbucks this morning," Foreman confessed.

"I made the coffee," Cameron said sheepishly. "I thought we should be cutting back on caffeine."

"You thought WE should???!" House was at a total loss for words as the rage overtook him. He grabbed his cane and lunged forward in attack. Foreman held him back just in time to prevent him from making contact with Cameron. "Whoa, there, I'll go to the cafeteria right now and get you a coffee with a double shot of espresso. We'll get you straightened up." He looked House straight in those blue but rather blood shot eyes. "Promise me you won't kill Cameron."

House nodded in between the deep calming breaths as he sat down at the conference room table. "Good, I'll be back in five minutes. All I have to say is House and I'll get special treatment."

Cameron frowned as House stared at her with incredulity that she tried to harm him like this. "This is your revenge for me teasing you yesterday, isn't it?"

"It wasn't revenge." She replied with teeth clenched. There was no way she could explain this. Damn him for knowing the difference between decaf and regular.

"So there might actually be something to my wild guess from yesterday?"

"No." She denied adamantly. She walked over to the coffee machine and poured herself a cup. "This is a rather good blend."

"No caffeine, right?"

"Yes."

"Then it sucks! Nuff said. Something is up with you and you know I'm going to find out. You might as well fess up now."

She thought about actually telling him, but as she opened her mouth Foreman showed up with the coffee. "How did you get this so fast?"

"I ran into Wilson. He had his own fresh cup and recognized the serious nature of the emergency. He knew two more minutes and Cameron would be dead."

"Great, Cameron was just about to confess something. Now she can share with both of us."

The two men looked at Cameron like she was a scared animal who had just been backed into a corner. All of a sudden she didn't feel so good. "Uh, gotta go." She bolted out of the room leaving the two men shocked that she actually got away.

House rose from his chair. "Okay, this morning just can't get any weirder. I'm going to my office now with my coffee and pretend that I didn't get out of bed."

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"We let this go too long." Pamela told Cameron as they met at a local café for lunch.

"Yeah, you know, life." Cameron knew that was a poor excuse, but that was the usual reason for not keeping touch.

"So, Eric said that you have been acting strange lately."

"Gee, no 'how is life going?' first? Go straight for the hearsay."

Pamela looked at her watch. "I only have an hour for lunch. Can't waste time."

"I'm not acting strange. Foreman and House are just picking on me."

"Right, because we all know you always pick at your sandwich because you are repulsed by its look and you always drink caffeine free soda. That nice shade of green on your face is lovely too and your eyelids are drooping."

Cameron threw down her sandwich knowing that she couldn't hide this from everyone. She trusted Pamela would be discrete. "Fine, you've caught me."

Excitement fell over Pamela's face. She was fishing, but didn't think Allison would admit it without a fight. "No, really??? How exciting! How far along?"

"Five weeks. It isn't exciting. I haven't told Robert. This wasn't supposed to happen yet."

Pamela's excitement changed to perplexed confusion. "Uh, why don't you want Robert to know? I would think he would be thrilled."

"He would be more than thrilled. This just isn't a convenient time for either of us. There is too much stress right now. A baby just complicates things."

"Life complicates things. Besides, he's a doctor and highly trained to look at warning signs in people. You won't be able to fool him for long."

"I'm not planning on hiding this for months. Just a few days, or maybe a couple of weeks. I'm just not ready. I have to get used to the idea myself."

"Girlfriend, you are asking for trouble. Eric and that miserable bastard you work for already suspect something. They will figure it out sooner than later. If House knows before you tell Robert, he will either use it against you or come up with a grand scheme to drop hints to Robert until he figures it out."

"You worry too much. I've got my guard up."

"Wow, I didn't know that delusional behavior was a symptom of pregnancy. They certainly don't report that in 'Woman's Day'."

Cameron accepted that she deserved this from Pamela, but she had her reasons. "We haven't talked about having a family. This is something you usually plan for, especially given the amount of hours each week that goes to our careers."

"Surprise!" Pamela replied rather cheekily to her excuse.

"Fine, for what its worth I can't hide it much longer. I'm already getting sick. I was so hoping that I would last a few more weeks before that happened. My mother was sick as a dog for most of both her pregnancies. Lord knows she pointed that out to me enough times. I'm not even that bad yet and I already hate it."

Pamela chuckled at the young doctor's despair. "Kind of true, physicians make the worst patients. I don't envy your OBGYN. You told her yet?"

"No. I ran a blood test myself to confirm. Usually you can't go in for the first visit until you are 8 to 10 weeks along."

"I'd do everything I could to avoid House in the meantime."

"Trust me, it's a done deal."

---------------------------

On top of all her strangeness, now Cameron was avoiding him like the plague. Suspicious behavior warranted, well, suspicious behavior. House waited patiently outside the locker room for Cameron to leave. She had been taking an extraordinarily long time to get changed this morning. Far longer than usual. He tried to remember the reason why he staked out Cameron's locker the last time. He couldn't think of it, so he probably did it for fun.

Eventually she did come out, wiping her mouth with a tissue and looking white as a ghost. House stayed ducked around the corner as her cell phone rang.

"Hello?...No, I haven't told him yet..." Cameron disappeared down the hallway, still arguing with the person on the other end. _No doubt it's that devil woman wife of his other fellow._ House thought.

He looked all ways to make sure no one was coming and entered the locker room. Breaking into Cameron's locker was so easy. He didn't have to even try since he knew the combination. She really shouldn't use her husband's birthday. He laughed to himself over the notion that Cameron still believed he didn't know when Chase's birthday was. He knew long before she did.

A few turns left, right, left again and he was in. A typical women's locker; lots of items designed to make her look and feel pretty. Nothing out of the ordinary at first glance. He checked the pockets of her extra lab coats. _Wait a second, what do we have here?_ He pulled out a balled up sheet of paper. _Why, it's lab results._

He carefully unfolded the paper and read the contents. The vicious smile on his face was unavoidable as he crumpled the paper again and placed it back in the lab coat. He closed the door, put back the lock, and then hurried out of the room undetected.

House saved the outburst of evil laughter until he cleared the locker room area by a safe distance. Once he let loose, it made his sides hurt. He had to find Wilson now. Before he did that though, he had one item of unfinished business. He pulled out his cell phone and thumbed down the contacts list until he got to 'Chase'. He hit the send button and patiently waited for the voice on the other end, but got the voice mail instead. No matter, a message would suffice.

As the voice on the other end instructed to wait for the tone, House prepared his best taunting and demoralizing tone. "I know something that you don't."


	2. He finds out

**a/n: Thank you everybody for your wonderful comments! I'm glad to see this fic is getting off to such a well received start. I hope chapter two doesn't disappoint. **

**Warning: There is a part during the dinner scene where Chase and Foreman say some very gross things. If you have weak stomach, skip the three paragraphs when Chase brings up "flesh eating bacteria". **

"I think you are in the wrong hospital." House commented when he spotted the blond haired Aussie walking into the diagnostics room. "I work with the other Dr. Chase. You both are pretty, but she's more pleasing to the eye."

"Great to see you too House. Not that it is really any of your business, but I had time for lunch and thought I would surprise my wife. Of course I can give you your surprise after lunch if you want it bad enough."

"Don't flatter yourself. I've had way better." He noticed Chase still standing there, looking around and obviously waiting for something. "Does that train of thought of yours have a caboose?"

"I'm also here because I couldn't help but be curious about the strange message you left me."

"I haven't left you any messages." House's words denied, but the look in his face took all the credit.

"I know something that you don't?"

"Oops, did I send that to you? My bad. That was for someone else."

Chase shook his head. "Fine, I don't have time for guessing games right now. We'll play later. Any idea where Cameron is?"

House tapped his fingers on his chin as if he were playing a piano. "Hmm, I think I just saw her go into the bathroom around the corner. I'd wait for her there. Boy will she be surprised." He let out another malevolent little laugh.

Chase knew when something was up, but decided he didn't want to know what was going on at the moment. He already had too many distractions. "This was great. We must talk like this again sometime."

"Now go away before I am forced to taunt you a second time." House ordered.

Chase chuckled a bit as he stepped around the corner to wait outside of the ladies room. He had to admit, talking with House was never boring. He guessed there was a good 50/50 chance that Cameron was actually in that bathroom given the source of information. He would wait two minutes and then continue the search elsewhere.

"I think you are in the wrong hospital."

"House already used that one. Try again."

Foreman held out his hand. "Good to see you man. What are you doing here?"

Chase returned the handshake and smile. "Officially, I'm here to take my wife to lunch. Unofficially, I've been noticing some strange behavior and thought I should check it out."

Foreman was definitely intrigued. "I've been noticing some strange things myself. What have you possibly seen from that other hospital?"

"Allison is acting all weird and distant and has been blaming it on work. She's been having terse conversations on the phone for the last day with your wife. The final straw though was when House left me a strange message."

"You know something is there if House has interest. Usually he's too bored to care. I think Pamela is hiding something too. She's been a bit strange since her and Cameron had lunch together yesterday."

Chase smiled as an idea popped into his head. "I actually get to leave work on time today. How about we all go out and you and I try to figure out what our ladies are up to?"

Foreman smirked in agreement. "We are overdue for a night out. I'll give Pamela a call. If she protests then I know something is up."

As the two men were finalizing plans a very queasy Cameron came out of the bathroom. She was surprised all right to see her husband talking with Foreman, but she was more irritated than pleased. "Why are you here?"

"Uh, glad to see you too," a confused Chase said before kissing her on the cheek. He felt how warm it was and held up his hand to her forehead. "You're warm. You feeling sick?"

"I'm better now," she said now turning on the charm. "I'm sure it was just something not agreeing with me. Maybe some lunch will make me feel better. Is that why you are here?"

"Are you sure? Maybe you should lie down."

"No, I need some food. You up for lunch Foreman?"

"Sure, I'll join you both if you don't mind. That way we can confirm our plans."

"Plans?"

"Yes, we are going out with Pamela and Foreman tonight." Chase informed her.

"We are?" Cameron switched to annoyed mode again. "I'm not sure I'll be up to it."

"Come on, this is the first night off I've had in a while and you yourself said it's only a little bug."

Cameron reluctantly smiled, knowing she had to keep up her front. "Yes, you're right, we're overdue. I'd love to go out." She felt another small wave of sickness and knew she needed food now. "Let's get some lunch. I don't have a lot of time."

As the three headed for the cafeteria Cameron couldn't avoid mulling over the fact she would have to say something relatively soon. She wasn't that good an actress and she would only be able to hold up this happy front for so long. She was miserable and she wanted everyone to know it.

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House waltzed into Cuddy's office as usual without announcement. She didn't even look up to acknowledge him. Sure, she had grown too comfortable throughout the years of his antics and probably let him get away with them more than she should. "I don't have time House. I have to be in Dr. Stetson's office in ten minutes."

"Fertility specialist? I thought you had given up on that."

"Yeah, well the cold lonely winter has me thinking about it again."

House found his window of opportunity and jumped through it with glee. "Wow, since we're on the subject of babies, did you know Cameron is pregnant?"

Cuddy was surprised to have missed that one. "She is? Wow, I hadn't heard. Usually Brenda has the rumor mill lit up by now."

"No one knows but her and me. Even Chase doesn't know."

Cuddy grabbed her head, wondering what the House diabolical scheme was now. "I have a hard time believing that Cameron only told you and swore you to secrecy. Did you break into yet another staff locker? I swear I need to install surveillance cameras. I guess I'm not too worried though. Once Cameron finds out she will make your life miserable."

"Who knows, maybe you and her can have dual baby showers. It will certainly save us some time plus you two would look so cute together."

"Yeah, well I don't have my hopes up. The last three times have failed, so I'm not holding my breath."

"You know, there is still the natural option." House didn't want to let that potential opportunity slide by either.

"That didn't work also, remember?"

"Yeah, but it is so much more fun to try. Fertility treatments in a doctor's office are so cold and impersonal. You need the Dr. House touch."

Somehow she managed to actually give him a flattered smile even though the sexual harassment was blatant. How did House always manage to do that? She got up to leave. "Nice try, but I've got an appointment to go to. When it becomes common knowledge, give Cameron my congratulations. She is going to be so miserable to work with over the next several months. My complete sympathies are with Dr. Foreman right now."

"You don't know what you're missing," he shouted as she headed out the door. "Oh wait, you do know. In that case, I'll be waiting in my office."

"Get bent." She said and walked off.

"Oh yes, she will be mine," House said to himself as he ogled the large behind clomping away from him.

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"You feeling up to this?"

"Yes, I'm looking forward to it."

Chase could see through her fake enthusiasm, but allowed it without question. The droopy eyelids, the discomfort in the way she walked, and her shakiness when he held her hand. He would have insisted she stay home if he didn't know she was hiding something.

Pamela and Foreman were already at the steakhouse waiting for them when they arrived. "Sorry we're late." Chase apologized.

"No problem. We were just enjoying a glass of wine. They have a house Zinfandel here that is fantastic. Allow me to pour?"

Foreman grabbed the bottle and poured each Chase and Cameron a glass. They took their glasses back seeming pleased with the contents, although Cameron only pretended to take a sip. She wished she hadn't even pretended. The fruity aroma was making her want to hurl.

Pamela noticed Cameron's avoidance and knew she would have to do some clever covering for her friend this evening.

Not long after the menus arrived and everyone mulled over their choices with deep delight, except Cameron. It took everything she had not to go into dry heaves. The mere thought of red meat in general made her ill, let alone a steak prepared with blue cheese or teriyaki sauce like what her friends were considering.

"I recommend just about anything on the menu." Foreman said. "This is one of our favorite places to eat." Pamela smiled in agreement, trying to put up her front even though she had the knowledge that the person next to her could barf at any moment.

"You first Cameron." Foreman insisted when it was time to order.

"Uh, I still can't decide. I'll go last." She tried to tune everyone out as even the mention of their dishes was threatening to push her over the edge. She wasn't sure how she was going to deal with the smell when the food actually arrived. "Ma'am, for you?"

"I'll have a side of long grain rice," she ordered with a satisfied smile as she handed over the menu. Looks of confusion from everyone, especially the waiter, enveloped her.

"I'm not hungry," she defended not so skillfully.

"She hasn't been feeling well." Chase said in hopes of backing her up. After all, isn't that what husbands were supposed to do? Of course that was all part of the plan, to throw her off guard. Now he was going to start some trouble.

Chase grabbed his glass of wine and raised it in a toast. "To good times." Everyone raised their glasses to join him, but the corner of his eye carefully gauged Cameron's actions. He noticed the wine touching her lips, but not going down and the slight change in her coloring as she moved the glass away. Sure, that could easily be due to the touch of the flu, but her eyes revealed the issue to be much different. She was more than physically repulsed by the wine. She was actually scared to consume any, as if it might harm her.

Chase turned to his former colleague. "Foreman, I had a case this week of flesh eating bacteria that was so stomach churning that even you couldn't take it."

Foreman knew he was going somewhere with this and chose to play along. "You know nothing can break through my iron stomach. Describe it."

Chase described every graphic and gory detail, especially harping on the very strange color of the pus oozing out of the wound and surrounding tissue. Pamela saw Cameron clutch her stomach and grabbed her hand underneath the table in support.

Foreman started describing the most disgusting case he ever had in medical school, which involved a body in such bad decay all that was left for the autopsy was black liquid. As soon as he used the pathology term of "soup", Cameron quickly shot up.

"Please excuse me. Pamela, ladies room?"

Pamela nodded in fast agreement and got up to join her. They tried to walk at a normal pace, but Chase and Foreman both noticed as they got farther away Cameron breaking into a sprint.

"What sort of stomach flu would cause a doctor to get grossed out like that?" Foreman wondered.

Chase shrugged. "Stomach flu isn't this chronic. The only reasonable explanation would be-"

Chase began to choke. Foreman was now stunned as he watched Chase's eyes pop wide open and his face turn the same shade of pale white that Cameron's had been lately. He was really worried that whatever she had was now contagious. "Chase, what's wrong?"

"Give me a minute." He told Foreman barely holding it together. He was having his House like epiphany. He remembered the 'incident' a few weeks back with the faulty condom. Stomach flu doesn't last for three days. She won't drink wine and she didn't have any of the coffee he made this morning. Not to mention the strange behavior and general fatigue. She was a terrible actress. Why didn't she want him to know?

"I've seen that look before," Foreman said watching his friend. "It's the one House gets all time when he has his eureka moment. Spit it out. What is it?"

"Has she had any regular coffee in the last few days?" Chase asked with shaky voice.

"No, as a matter of fact she got House..." Foreman's eyes now got real wide. "Chase, did they not teach you about the birds and the bees in health class at that Aussie school of yours?"

Chase couldn't come back with anything clever. He dropped his forehead into his right hand and shook his head in disbelief.

"Chase? You okay?"

"I'm...I'm fine," he answered a still rather shell shocked. He leaned back in his chair, trying to comprehend the enormous discovery.

The impromptu diagnosis session was interrupted by Pamela and Cameron's return. Cameron actually looked a little perkier, better than her husband now.

Chase sat up straight and instantly chugged down his entire glass of wine. He handed the empty glass over to Foreman for a refill. Foreman complied and filled it up, then gave himself more as well. He couldn't blame Chase for his reaction. He would have done the same thing.

-------------------------

Most of the way home Chase didn't say a word. He patiently waited for Allison to fess up, but there was no such luck. The rice must not have agreed with her, because she was leaning back with her eyes closed, one hand on her forehead and the other on her stomach.

Chase got an idea to get her to tell the truth. It was cruel, but he needed to know the reason why she didn't want to tell him. "House told me." He said playing it very straight.

"Told you about what?"

"Don't play dumb with me. I'm smarter than that. He couldn't wait to call me and tell me after it happened."

"He called you? Why?"

"His conscience is clearer than yours."

Cameron now grabbed her head with both hands, wondering what House was up to now. "Whatever he told you, he's lying."

"He's lying? He isn't the one acting all suspicious. He isn't trying to hide anything."

"What are you insinuating? You think House and I are having an affair?"

"You said it, not me."

Cameron couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What did he tell you?"

"I know something that you don't."

"That's ridiculous. He wasn't telling you anything. He was only teasing and lord knows why."

"It means something."

"You aren't trusting me? Why would I lie to you?"

"You tell me. Why would you lie?" Of course he was referring to something else, but she didn't know it.

Cameron threw her arms up in the air. "You're acting crazy! You are my husband. I would never have an affair with..." She was forced to stop there when she started gagging.

"Pull over, now!" She shouted in desperation. Chase did as instructed. She leaned out the open door and proceeded to expel her dinner. He helped by holding her hair away from her face and rubbing her back.

When Cameron finished she busted out into tears and buried her head into his chest. "I can't take this anymore. I can't do this."

He wrapped his arms around her tightly and gently kissed the top of her head. "You've got 8 more months of this. I'll be there to help you through it every step of the way."

She pulled away in total surprise and met him face to face. "You know?"

"How can I not? The signs are so damn obvious. Why didn't you want to tell me?"

She shamelessly slumped back into her seat. "I haven't accepted it myself. I was afraid you wouldn't either. We didn't exactly plan this."

"No, we didn't." He pulled her chin towards him so she could see the honesty in his brilliant eyes. "But I couldn't be happier."

"Easy for you to say," she said with a frown. "Your body isn't going to rot."

"This is why I admire you all the more for it. The nausea will get better eventually. The bigger you get, the more beautiful you will be."

She let out an amused smile. "Suck up. You're just trying to be nice so I'll let you touch me again."

Chase's expression turned suggestive. "You know, we can have no worries sex now. Protection is no longer an issue."

"I might be up for that. You better get us home quick though, before the nausea comes back.

He took his place behind the wheel and threw the car into drive. "We are there."

---------------------------------------

**a/n: I apologize for the gross talk at the dinner, but they had to get really gross to push Cameron over the edge. I borrowed just about the grossest thing I have seen on television and came up with the black 'soup' from an old CSI episode. The only time I've ever gagged watching television. Also, and this one should be obvious, did anyone spot the Monty Python reference? I used them a lot in the last fic so I will try to in this one. **


	3. Baby gifts

**a/n: This chapter is a little more serious, but should push the plot along nicely. Enjoy!**

"It's about freaking time you figured it out. I thought I would have to draw you a map!" Pamela didn't feel like granting her husband a lot of mercy. He shouldn't be that clueless.

"Pardon me for being a man and not being in tune to female warning signs."

"Isn't that your freaking job? You would have noticed it with a patient. Hell, I noticed something and I don't work with her everyday."

"Why would I be in diagnostics mode on my female co-worker?"

"I bet your asshole boss figured it out."

"If he did, then he stole personal information or took a wild guess and assumed he was right. No way would she have admitted it to him."

Pamela toned down her attack over that point. "You are right there." She gazed out the car window and took in a deep sigh, replaying the evening events as the world whirred by. "So how hard did Robert take it when he figured it out?"

"I don't think he was displeased. Just surprised. He'll get over it."

"Yeah, but will she?"

"Good point."

Pamela resumed her window watching, getting lost further in thought. She wished she could have seen Robert's face when he figured it out. She thought Eric was holding back in his description of the moment. She also pictured the conversation going on between Robert and Allison right now. Neither were good at pretending, so she doubted that they could keep stringing each other along too much longer.

"Are you still content with it just being us?" Foreman asked noticing her quiet ponderance.

"Me? Heavens yes. I know it was a bit of a surprise when we found out I couldn't have children, but I'm positive I wouldn't want a child anyway. I'm not sad about it at all."

"So, adoption or surrogacy is still out of the question?"

Pamela's face showed her natural shock over the question. "Absolutely. We already talked about this. Why are you asking? You changing your mind?"

"No. Of course not." He grabbed her hand and gave her a smile. "It's my job to check every once in a while. Women love to change their minds."

"My mind ain't changing about that one. I'm perfectly happy growing old watching other people's children grow up." After another look out the window, Pamela started giggling.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. I just had a flash of Robert and Allison trying to care for a baby. That will be a very bizarre moment."

Foreman joined her by snickering, finding that picture funny as well. "You...you don't suppose we will be asked to babysit?"

Pamela broke into much harder laughter. "They would be that desperate, wouldn't they? How do you feel about their kid calling you Uncle Eric?"

"Aunt Pam. Has a great ring to it."

Pamela could top that. "Yeah, well as long as the kid stays away from Uncle Greg, all will be fine."

Foreman started laughing so hard a few tears were coming from his eyes. "If House babysat, then children's services would have to get involved because of gross negligence."

"Not if Aunt Jimmy was the there too." They gave each other a look with quivering lips trying to keep a straight face, but that didn't last long as neither could hold back their gut-wrenching howling.

--------------------------

"Oh my god," Cameron repeated over and over again as she stretched out on the bed after their rather intense tryst. "Have you like, gotten better? How is that possible? That is the most intense sex we've had yet."

Chase smiled. "It's all those hormones flooding you. Still, even I felt it. You must be transmitting some my way."

"Maybe being knocked up isn't so bad. There are perks after all." They both laid flat on their backs staring upward, still trying to catch their breaths. She reached over and grabbed Chase's hand. "You know, we should probably talk about this."

"Now? Are you up for it now? It can wait until another time."

"I'm scared."

Chase rolled over to face her and propped up his head with his right arm. "Why?"

"This is the greatest responsibility anyone could be given. The challenge here is far greater than anything I had to put up with House or anything else in my life. We will be required to physically, mentally, emotionally develop a young life for a good number of years. There are so many ways we can screw that up."

"There are also so many ways we can do right for this child that we didn't have growing up."

"What about our careers? Being doctors will get in the way of all those dance recitals or soccer games, doctor appointments, parent teacher conferences and whatever other crap parents are supposed to be there for. How can this child be normal when it will never know if its parents will be there or not?"

A huge frown hit Chase as he rolled back over and resumed his intense study of the ceiling. That question struck too much of a nerve. He was all too familiar with the downside of being a child of a doctor.

Cameron leaned over to him showing her look of worry. "Ouch. You weren't ready for that question yet, were you?"

"No, but we do have to face it. I don't have an answer yet. I only know I don't want to be the absent bastard my father was, but I also can't ask you to sacrifice your career either. You could end up being a miserable drunk like my mother who kept cursing the day her son was born."

She brushed her hand across his cheek. "We may not have answers, but one thing I know for sure, we are better than that."

"Are we? How do we know that circumstances won't drive us to that, even though we don't mean it to?" Cameron looked away, accepting that he was dead on about that one.

"I'm sorry," Chase continued, "we shouldn't dwell on the 'what ifs' right now."

"Were you an accident?" Cameron blurted out.

Chase's eyes popped wide open. He accepted long ago that Allison often came out with out tough questions at anytime, so avoiding them was never to his benefit. Still, he wasn't prepared for it. "Yes," he sadly admitted. "A bit of irony here, don't you think?"

Cameron turned away, not sure what to do with her new piece of information. "Wow, I was hoping you would be able to calm my nerves about this."

"You're right. We are speculating too much. For now, let's not let our fears stop us. We should approach this one day at a time. If you think about it, we both have been left with scars that won't heal, but we didn't turn out too damaged now did we? We can function in normal society."

"I work for Greg House. Define normal."

Chase let a huge smile creep on his face at the mention of his former mentor. "Promise me we will never let creepy 'Uncle Greg' near the kid?"

Cameron laughed hysterically and Chase followed soon after. They needed a light moment. Once the laughter died down, he pushed her hair away from her face with a gentle brush and looked deep into her eyes. "We'll get through this. We both have doubts, but I know we can do it."

She got an alarmed expression on her face, as if she was about to fire off a very serious question. "You going to hold my hair back every time I barf?"

"Anytime I'm there, yes." He replied lovingly.

"Good, because it's happening right now. Start running." She bolted out of the bed and dashed toward the bathroom with Chase following close behind.

------------------------------------

"Allison, time to get up."

Chase gave her a little extra time to sleep this morning. She had a miserable night after a miserable couple of days at work. Her sickness wasn't letting up and it was impossible for her to hold anything down, even water.

She didn't respond at all to his first request, so he went over to give her a nudge. She let out a little moan and Chase could see the glazed look in between the thin slits of her barely open eyes. He put his hand to her wrist and felt the rapid heart rate.

A sense of panic briefly swept over him. He rushed into the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of Gatorade out of the fridge and rushed back. "You've got to drink this," he said with urgency as he propped up her head and put the drink to her lips.

She took a sip and choked a little. "I feel sick."

"You're dehydrated. Either you drink this or I'm taking you to the hospital now."

Even in her incoherent state she knew he was right. She continued to drink more even though every sip turned her stomach.

"Do everything you can to keep this down."

She nodded and after having great trouble choking down several more sips, Chase gently placed her head back down on the pillow.

"Must sleep," she said just before drifting off in utter exhaustion.

Chase leaned down and kissed her on the forehead before leaving her to rest. He opened his cell phone and started making the calls to both their places of employment informing them they wouldn't be in.

----------------------

The loud grating sound of his cell phone woke him up from quick nap. The magazine he was reading was still in his lap. He must have drifted off.

Chase glanced at his watch before answering the phone. He was overdue in waking Allison up to give her more Gatorade. He had been doing that at the top of the hour all morning. He glanced at the number on his phone. Damn, he had to answer this.

"This is Dr. Chase...When?...Start her on prednisone...I really can't get away right now...Okay, I'll see what I can do."

Chase dolefully closed the phone with his left hand while rubbing his eyes with his right. He questioned whether Allison would be okay alone for a few hours. His biggest fear right now was her risk for a miscarriage. He knew as a doctor it was way too early in the pregnancy for anything to be done for the baby. He accepted that miscarriages were common and for her sake he wanted to be there if it happened.

"You have to go Robert." He turned around to see his pallid wife shakily standing in the bedroom doorway.

"I can't leave you. They have other doctors at that hospital."

"I'm much better and I'm a doctor too. I can call you if I have trouble. I've only gotten sick once since this morning. I just need sleep."

"I can't leave you."

"I'll be sleeping. You won't be missing anything."

Chase nodded, accepting that she was probably right. "I should only be a couple of hours, but if I get stuck I'm sending over help."

"Okay, I'll allow that." In reality she was too haggard to argue. "I'll keep drinking the Gatorade. It's going down better than water was."

He pulled her close and gave her a kiss on the top of her head. "You scared the crap out of me today."

"I'll be fine. Now go."

Chase broke the embrace and never once took his worried eyes off of her until he was closing the front door. "I love you," he said just before the door knob clicked.

Cameron let her brave front down as soon as he left. This was the worst she had ever felt in her life. She picked up the bottle on the table and forced down with complete repulsion more Gatorade. After shuttering for several seconds she wearily worked her way back to bed. Robert was gone, so now she could finally cry.

-------------------------

"Hello? Anyone home?"

The front door was unlocked as promised so he let himself in. The room was still and quiet, until he heard a flushing noise come from the bathroom. The figure that emerged was not all that surprised to see the visitor.

"Robert said that he would send somebody by. How did you end up with babysitting duty Dr. Wilson? Lose a bet with House?"

"Foreman had an emergency with your patient. I volunteered."

"I'm alive. You can report back now to my over-concerned husband."

Wilson put his hands on his hips, not about to accept her act. "According to Chase, you were in near shock from dehydration. I don't call that being overprotective. Lay down on the couch and let me check you out."

Cameron did as instructed complete with scowl on her face. She accepted that the examination was necessary, but she wanted her protest known anyway. She wasn't a piece of china.

Wilson began to take her pulse. "Cameron, some of the anti-nausea medication prescribed to cancer patients is allowed for pregnant women as well."

"Thanks, but I've only been this way for a week and a half. It's too soon for that. I just need to be more careful."

Wilson nodded, deciding not to argue. Since her husband was also a doctor he could talk some sense into her. "Your pulse is a little fast, but not too bad."

Wilson started going through the end table drawer where Chase told him they kept some medical equipment. "So, have you thought about baby names?" He asked as he pulled out a sphygmomanometer and stethoscope.

Cameron scoffed. "Hard to think about baby names when we barely had time to think about baby."

He smiled at her cynical comment as he put the arm cuff on.

"You were married three times. How come you never managed to accidentally have children?"

"I shoot blanks," Wilson responded. "Lucky me because a baby would have made those bad situations even worse."

He took her blood pressure and didn't let his concern show over the results. "It's a little low. Chase will need to check it later." As he removed the stethoscope from his ears he couldn't avoid noticing Cameron's distressed look.

"Cameron, it will be okay. You and Chase are more than able to handle this. When you see your baby for the first time, you will honestly know for the first time the meaning of pure joy."

"Yeah, only seven and a half more months of pure hell before that happens."

Wilson let out another smile and patted her shoulder. "Get some sleep. Chase said he'll be home in a couple of hours."

"Thanks Dr. Wilson." She rolled over on the couch and her eyes were closed in no time.

Wilson quietly let himself out. As he closed the door gently behind him, he had a quick thought of what it would be like to be a parent. The mere thought freaked him out. Better Chase and Cameron than him.

-----------------

"She what?"

"She's still sick House, give her some time."

"What did Chase tell you? Is she still dehydrated?"

Foreman knew House was insensitive, but he thought he was being too much of a jerk here. "No and pulse and blood pressure are back to normal. She is tired and still getting sick all the time."

House chose to blow off Foreman and headed for the door. "Where are you going?" Foreman asked, already suspecting his destination.

"House call. You got 10 bucks?"

"What for?"

"Baby gift."

------------------------

Cameron was stretched out on the couch, wet towel draped on her forehead. Her rumpled sweats and lack of makeup only exaggerated her gaunt features. She didn't know how she would live through this pregnancy, let alone work during it. Her distress was only multiplied when she heard the knock on the door.

She first tried to ignore it, but the knocks kept getting louder and louder.

"Go away and let me die in peace." She heard a key in the lock trying to force the door open, but she smirked when she knew it wouldn't work. Robert had the locks changed when he moved in. He didn't want to risk House barging in on them when it suited him.

After an irritated cry from the person on the other end, the knocking turned into full fledged pounding. "Let me in Cameron or I start breaking the door down with the cane."

She knew that threat didn't hold water and she would have loved to see him try. She resigned herself to the fact though that he wasn't going away and tenderly rolled herself off the couch. She walked to the door hunched over using baby steps while feeling like a ninety year old woman. Eventually she opened the door, startling the annoying visitor on the other end.

Cameron gave House a piercing look and then slowly headed back to the couch, leaving the door open. House entered, doing a quick examination of the apartment. He hadn't been there since long before Chase and Cameron got together. "I love what you've done with the place."

"We haven't done anything."

"Chase's stuff is here now. That's different. Apparently you both are pretty ignorant when it comes to décor."

"You didn't come here to critique my decorating skills," she said lying back down on the couch and putting the towel back in place. "Make your point."

"You aren't the first woman ever to get pregnant, and you certainly aren't the first woman to get morning sickness."

"Morning sickness??? I have all day all the time sickness. My case is a little more severe than normal."

"Still no reason to be missing work."

"I can't work like this. I'll kill somebody."

House settled himself on the chair next to the couch. "Last I checked you didn't need a steady hand to read a file and differentially diagnose. The distraction would do you good."

"Men really should get pregnant. Then you wouldn't be so hard on me."

House chuckled. "Okay, since our little trip to fantasyland is over and we know that reality for you sucks, let's get back to the fact that you should be working. I work in unbearable pain everyday. At least your condition is only temporary."

"Look at me! How can I possibly function right now!" She began to get a little teary. Damn hormones, messing with her emotions as well.

"That thing growing inside of you is stealing all your brain power. Haven't you treated enough pregnant women to know that there are strategies to help with the side effects? Hell, forget pregnancy, even cancer patients know how to get around this. You just don't want to accept the fact that you have to grow up now and take a lifetime of responsibility for another being."

Cameron as usual responded to his lecture with no words and a major pout.

House pulled out something from the paper shopping bag that was in his hand. "Here read this and I expect you back tomorrow."

"What To Expect When You're Expecting?"

"The only manual you will ever need. Now start acting like the responsible mother-to-be that you have dreamed about becoming your entire life."

Cameron looked at the book's cover and saw the very pregnant woman sitting on the rocking chair. She busted out into sobs. House rolled his eyes over the fact that a hormonal surge was turning his tough doctor into the emotional equivalent of jello.

"I'm actually going to look like this eventually. I'll have to wear ugly maternity clothes."

"Trust me, once you push a watermelon through a hole the size of a quarter, ugly clothes are the least of your worries."

Cameron began to sob harder. House knew it was wrong to provoke her emotional state, but he couldn't help it. He gave her a minute for release, playing with his cane and trying not let his uncomfortable feeling look too obvious. He chose to divert the attention. "So where are you and Chase moving?"

Cameron wiped the tears from her face and tried to fix her clouded mind on what he was asking. "Huh?"

"You aren't seriously planning on raising a child in this one bedroom apartment. You've got to go get a house in the suburbs with trees and a yard with other little ankle biters around so you can set up play dates. You guys can both afford it."

Cameron calmed her sobs enough to ask the perplexing question. "Play dates?"

House broke into laughter. "Oh boy, you both are screwed. Never mind. Read the book and you better be there first thing in the morning. No excuses or I send an ambulance over to take you to work."

He left without letting her get in another word. She looked at the book in her hand again and broke into more sobbing.

---------------------

**a/n: Did anyone feel sympathy for Cameron? Boy is it really hard to put her brittle character into a sympathetic situation, so I hope I succeeded. **


	4. Mood Swings

"It's alive!" House declared with creepy Dr. Frankenstein voice as a creature resembling his recently missing fellow emerged through the conference room doorway.

Cameron gingerly walked to the table choosing not to acknowledge House's presence at all. She gave Foreman a brisk half smile before going back to a frown, all while pulling out Gatorade and a sleeve of saltines from her bag.

"Welcome Dr. Cameron to reality acceptance. While you were gone Foreman and I managed to single-handedly solve a very troubling case where we once again snatched the patient from the jaws of death."

Foreman rolled his eyes. "We gave her antibiotics and she got better. You missed nothing."

"Oh, he's so modest!" House wittily observed. "Okay, since we don't have a case, Foreman and I have clinic duty. Cameron, Wilson needs help with one of his patients today. A terminal patient which is good for you because you won't accidentally kill her due to a hormonal fog."

Cameron got up continuing avoiding eye contact, grabbed her drink and crackers and headed for Wilson's office without uttering a single word. "Well that was rude," House said to Foreman in a sarcastic voice.

"You think we should give Dr. Wilson some type of warning?"

"Who Wilson? He's been married three times. If anyone has a grasp on unstable and wildly unpredictable females, it's him."

Foreman shook his head while smiling at the prospect that House was so setting his friend up. "I'm hedging all future bets on the pregnant woman. She's got raging hormones on her side. The terminator wouldn't be able to stop her."

House wasn't about to give up the ship. "You'll see. Good always triumphs over evil."

Foreman scoffed. "In the comic books. Here, we are in deep trouble."

--------------------

"Mrs. Reynolds? I'm Dr. Cameron. I'm assisting Dr. Wilson today." Cameron grabbed the chart from the end of the bed and started reading. Her mouth popped open in shock as she began to turn through the sordid multiple pages of the patient history. She bit her lip to ward off the intense rush of sympathy and pity that was starting to overwhelm her.

"It can't be that bad dear."

"I'm sorry," she said giving every sign she was now fighting back tears. "Anyway, I'm here to start another therapy. All I need to do is start an IV line."

Cameron pulled the tray over and studied all the equipment in front of her. The continuing rush of sadness caused her to tremble and her lip to quiver.

"It's okay dear. I accept my fate. I resolved a long time ago I wasn't going let this thing beat me. It may be winning physically, but my spirit is still strong and defiant. Soon I'll be part of the kingdom of glory."

Cameron nodded, still distressed and not feeling any comfort from the words of determination. She went to administer the IV, but found it impossible to find a spot on her arm to insert the needle.

"Sorry, I have been fighting this for six years. I have worse track marks than a junkie. Try right here." She pointed to a spot at the back of her hand.

Cameron glared shockingly at the scar ravaged arm, tattered from the years of physical suffering. It was easily one of the worst she'd seen in her medical career. As she inserted the needle and secured it with tape, that was all it took to push her over the edge. The waterworks busted through.

The patient lifted up her arm and rubbed Cameron's back soothingly while she sobbed profusely. "Are you a new doctor?"

"It's so sad, all the pain you've had to go through." Of course she never cried over other patients who were dying. The hormones were winning.

Wilson heard the commotion and blinked his eyes several times to make sure he was seeing correctly when he entered the room. His terminal cancer patient was doing everything she could to calm down the hysterical doctor. He was so getting House for this. "Thank you Dr. Cameron. I've got it from here."

Cameron wiped the tears from her eyes and started to leave, but not before the patient gave her a hand squeeze in support. "Thank you," she told the woman before running out of the room, headed straight for the bathroom next.

"I apologize for that Mrs. Reynolds." Wilson said as he checked to make sure the IV was administered properly.

"Can she come back later?"

"Why would you want her back?" A completely surprised Wilson asked

"She's the first person ever to make me feel like I don't have it that bad, and I'm dying."

------------------------

House tried like mad as he approached his office to guess why there were sounds of hysterical laughter emanating from the adjoining room. He apprehensively peeked his head in to witness Cameron reading the paper. She spotted House and decided to share the funny. "You should read today's Garfield. It's hysterical."

House was frozen in his tracks, wondering what the crazy person in front of him would do next. "I'll pass," he replied backing away with small and slow steps until he was in the safety of his office.

He barely had time to sit down when a livid Wilson barged in. "She lost it in front of my cancer patient."

"Cameron laughed at your patient?"

"No, she was sobbing. Why?"

House pointed to the room next door, his face and body frozen in fear as if he was showing his friend the bogeyman.

Wilson took a couple steps over, but he stopped dead in his tracks when he heard the laughing. "She's only pregnant, right? You sure she isn't also certifiably insane??"

Their conversation was interrupted by a cell phone ring. Both men glanced at theirs only to realize it was coming from the other room. They moved closer with total caution and terror, but they had to listen in. They had to know what happened next.

"What do you want?" Cameron snapped angrily into the phone. "No, my day is not going well...What did you think it would be like?...I feel like barfing, thanks for asking...Yeah, go back to your important job and ignore me. I'll never forget that YOU did this to me." She slammed the phone shut, opened the paper and resumed her laughing.

Both stunned men slowly backed away to safety careful to not make any sharp movements. They did not want to alert the creature to their presence so to avoid vicious attack.

"I think I just walked into a Lon Chaney film," a rather frightened Wilson said with a whisper.

"Lon Chaney was never this scary." House sank into his chair, trembling over the horror of it all.

"You've got a situation here." Wilson bluntly informed House.

"That's why I like you. You have this profound gift to verbalize the freaking obvious!" House replied still whispering. He looked downward, eyes obviously showing his trademark problem solving glare. "We need to rally the troops. We are defenseless as individuals but as a unified group we have a chance. You find Foreman, I'm calling Chase."

------------------------------------

House hobbled over to the table, wearing a serious, no, downright grim look on his face. He didn't want to sugarcoat the magnitude of the situation. "As always, if any of you should be caught or killed, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions."

"So this is Mission Impossible?" Wilson asked him. He signaled to the waitress that they needed that other beer delivered now.

"It most certainly is. The element of danger is definitely there." Foreman countered, actually agreeing with House for a change.

"So, do you have any sort of plan that doesn't involve us being maimed or killed?" Chase asked with deep worry. He had the right to be most concerned, since he was the one in the biggest line of danger.

House slid into the bar stool, took a large gulp of the fresh beer put in front of him, and went to speak. Nothing came out though. He shook his head. "I've got nothing."

The others all groaned, not sure why their time was being wasted except that it involved beer.

"Come on, you mean to tell me that all four of us men aren't a match against one turbulent yet frail pregnant woman?"

"Face it House. We are doomed." Foreman lamented. Cameron couldn't be dealt with under normal circumstances. As a beast, victory was hers.

"I need suggestions! No one asked for opinions. Never tell me the odds."

They all looked at each other and collectively shrugged. "Exorcism?" Chase suggested.

House dropped his head into his hand. "Never let the Catholic offer input. I did however read about a book by some quack that says the bible can be used as a cure for PMS related mood swings. This is the same thing, right? Of course I got lost on the synopsis the second I saw the word "bible". Sounds like that might be your research assignment Chase."

"That crap doesn't even work for someone like me that believes in God's existence. We are better off with the exorcism."

Everyone sighed with their heads hung low as they took more swigs of beer to relieve their distress. "Do I sense a feeling of defeat in the room?" House had to rally the troops.

"One tiny little waif with a bun in the oven is going to triumph over the combined brain trust of us four?" He looked at Chase sardonically. "Okay, us three?"

"Since you mentioned PMS," Foreman said having some experience with that on his home front, "We could try a little weather predicting."

The glazed looks coming from the others gave Foreman the clue he needed to elaborate.

"We look for patterns, maybe she is bitchy in the morning and bitchy in the afternoon and bitchy in the evening…well you get the point. Let's try to guess the upcoming mood based on clues and react appropriately."

Chase shook his head. "That's your great plan! Her mood changes at the drop of a hat."

"Shut up, you're the one that did this to her," House said brushing off Chase's negativity. "I like it. It's got to work at least some of the time. Her moods only change quickly on the bad days."

"Every day is a bad day!" Chase yelled. "You would be predicting the path of a tornado, not just mere weather patterns."

"Us? Oh no, you get to do this too. We get the day shift, you get night duty." House instructed.

Wilson drank his beer and giggled profusely over watching these three go off on each other. He knew anything suggested was going to be a giant exercise in futility.

"Even the weather man is right some of the time," House said supporting the plan. We've got to try something. She's making cancer patients cry."

"No, actually she's making them feel better about dying." Wilson answered now being sucked into this madness. "Maybe we should just assign her to terminal cases for a while."

"If all else fails, we could drug her. Slip something into her water." Foreman recognized when a backup plan was needed.

"She isn't keeping anything down. You would have to jab her with a needle. That would only work once." House only had so many tricks up his sleeve.

"I can't believe this," a distressed Chase said. "You are not drugging my pregnant wife at your free will."

Chase felt a hand lightly cuff him at the back of the head. "What the hell was that for?" He asked House, who was the obvious guilty party since he was the one shaking his hand in pain.

"Well, I feel much better now. Anyone else want a turn?"

Chase gave him the evil eye, still demanding his reason.

"This is all your fault. Your right to protest is gone." House turned to the rest of the group. "I vote for weather predicting. Hell, it's better than nothing. All in favor say aye."

Only House said aye.

"Great, it's a majority. We start the plan first thing tomorrow."

----------------------

The plan all in all was pretty simple. Chase would let Foreman know Cameron's mood via text message when she left for work each morning. Foreman would put that mood on the mood chart hanging near House's desk. He and House would follow her patterns throughout the day looking for trends. At the end of the day, Foreman would text her mood to Chase and it became his job to follow patterns in the evening.

Day one went off without a hitch. The mood swings were less frequent and there was ample time with the warnings for each man to prepare as they encountered Cameron. Day two was a little more disconcerting. Cameron's moods were a little more turbulent and many times they were caught off guard. Also, the patterns of day two didn't resemble any pattern of day one. By day three, the wheels fell off the wagon.

"We need to abandon all hope today," Foreman told House. "Run and hide, that is our only hope for survival."

"It can't be that bad." House said.

"She was grumpy this morning, energetic by the time she got here, jubilant when she started running tests on the patient, bewildered when we were in the lab, deeply depressed by the time we were at lunch and when I last left her she couldn't keep her eyes open."

"That's good news. She gets tired in the afternoon."

"That's not all she gets."

They heard a rather irate female screaming at a lab tech in the hallway that delivered her test results a half hour later than promised. They watched the young man's body ran wildly past while the shouting voice kept berating him from a further distance. Then they heard that maniacal voice get closer to the office.

"Run!" House said as he and Foreman bolted out the balcony door, heading to Wilson's for refuge.

----------------------

Chase climbed wearily up the stairs toward the apartment. It was his turn for Cameron night duty. There was no way this plan was going to work. He had to play along though, so he pulled out his cell phone and checked the text message from Foreman. Since it was a few hours since she left work, the mood had likely changed, but at least he could get some idea as to how her day ended. '_World cruise'_ read the message. 'What the hell is that?' Chase thought.

He wasn't able to ponder long because when he opened the door he felt a petite arm yank him through the doorway. The door closed behind him and he was pushed back against the wall in one fluid motion. Suddenly, his lips were under a furious assault. His attacker noticed that in his surprised state he wasn't kissing back.

"What, don't you want me?" she asked panting heavily while removing his jacket and tie.

He stopped to check her eyes. Pupils seemed normal this time, so her drug must be hormonal. "You've got to excuse me. I was having deja vu."

She carried on her assault and had him stripped in no time. Yep, this was definitely deja vu. He did the only thing a defenseless man in his position could do. He kissed back and together in a wild frenzy of flying clothes, rabid tongues and anxious lips they staggered to the bedroom.

------------------------

Chase needed a few minutes to recover from the fast and furious bout with a surprisingly strong pregnant woman. He was still in bed, flat on his back, trying to comprehend what the hell just happened. He didn't have to do anything at all. Once he was thrown onto the bed and mounted, his only choice was to lie there and take it.

Now that the shock and surprise had worn off, he smiled recognizing that the entire experience was really fun. He always loved being dominated. Still, he was going to have to be mentally prepared for such attacks in the future.

Cameron had already gone into the other room. Despite some explosive sex, she was still pretty much wired. Chase thought he better go see what she was up to.

Considering nothing really surprised him anymore, he wasn't at all floored by the sight of Cameron on the couch digging into a half gallon of ice cream like it would evaporate into thin air if she didn't eat it all now. She was shoveling it in at an alarming rate to where he was amazed she wasn't choking.

"Vanilla? You get carte-blanche with eating for a while and you choose vanilla?"

She couldn't answer at first since her voice was muffled by a mouth stuffed full of ice cream. She slowed down long enough to give a quick answer. "It's the only flavor and food over the last two weeks that doesn't make me want to barf. The book told me to find foods that agree with me." She went back to stuffing herself at a furious rate.

"Is that advice helping?"

Again, he had to wait until the ice cream slid down her throat for an answer. "Not one freaking bit. I took crackers to work today and drank Gatorade and threw it all up anyway. I was thinking about putting an IV line in for hydration, but I got slightly better later in the afternoon."

Chase tried to remember the mood that was reported for the afternoon. Oh yeah, tired. "What did House have you do today?"

"Nothing, I think I scared the shit out of him."

Cameron put the ice cream down suddenly. "I can't eat this anymore. Hopefully it will taste as good when it comes back up."

Chase noticed her relatively calm mood and decided now was the time to bring up his deep concern. There was never really a good time, so he just needed to throw caution to the wind. "You should try to see the OBGYN sooner. I'm sure we can work in something tomorrow. I'm willing to bet she can prescribe some Zofran or Phenergan."

Cameron's face flushed instantly in a flash of anger. "I can't take those drugs! There are too many harmful side effects. Weight loss, hair falling out, skin irritation and seizures. What good am I to the baby as a vegetable? I don't want to risk it."

"You know side effects are worst case. You need to be examined. Nausea shouldn't be this bad in pregnancy." He moved closer, grabbing her arms and bringing his eyes even with hers. He ran his thumb softly under her dark eye. "Look at you. Bruises are starting to form under your eyes from vomiting too much. Your clothes have been looser and you were pretty skinny to begin with. We need to check your urine for ketones."

"What are you suggesting? You think something is seriously wrong with me?"

"You could have Hyperemesis Gravidarum."

The rage within Cameron was at full fury now. She shot up from the couch. "That's ridiculous! That is a rare condition. That would assure misery and panic throughout the entire pregnancy!"

"You know it's not that rare. It can affect up to 2 percent of all pregnancies. How much weight have you lost in the last two weeks?"

Cameron turned away and said nothing.

"Come on, or I'm getting you on the scale right now."

"5 lbs I think."

He grabbed her chin. "I think it is more. You shouldn't be losing weight while pregnant. The earlier the diagnosis, the sooner nutrient loss for you and the baby can be avoided."

Cameron jerked away not wanting to hear anymore. "I'm fine. You are just overanalyzing because you are acting like a doctor and not a father. I've finally accepted that we are having this baby, I'm not about to accept that I could have a potentially serious complication like that." She stormed into the bedroom and slammed the door.

Chase sank down onto the couch and leaned backward, not sure how he was going to get her to see reason. While pondering his next move, the bedroom door opened and he was hit in the face with a pillow and a blanket. The door slammed shut again and he heard the doorknob lock turn.

"Oh, so that's what 'world cruise' means," he said under his breath. "All over the map and destination unknown."

--------------------------------

"Robert, wake up." He felt the rather weak jab at his shoulder. He quickly shot up when his foggy mind recognized he was on the couch. He looked at Cameron who was shaking so badly that she was about to pass out.

He was able to jump up and grab her before she fell over.

"My urine is dark iced tea and I'm vomiting bile. Take me to the hospital now."

Panic swept over him as he picked her up, grabbed the car keys from the counter and rushed them both out the front door within seconds.

---------------------------------------

**a/n: It will be at least a week or more before the next update. I'm out of town most of next week with the fam because of Spring Break. What's even worse is that I'll be in a very rural area where the relatives don't have cable or satellite, and the only station that comes in on the rabbit ears is CW! No Fox so I won't get to see the new episode until I get back (as long as the TIVO works while I'm gone). I'm so bumming right now. **


	5. Hidden Agendas

**a/n: I'm back from the week long hiatus. Miss me??? Anyway, I came back with a chapter all ready to share. This is a Cuddy POV chapter, the first time I've ever written with this character. I hope it works. **

--------------------------------

Chapter 5 – Hidden Agendas

Lisa Cuddy had a little secret that nobody else knew. Okay, she knew there were no secrets at Princeton Plainsboro as long as House was around, but she hadn't been called out on this one yet. She liked to volunteer every once in a while for the ER night shift. That wasn't the secret, as of matter of fact the ER staff was well aware the big boss could show up on night shift whenever it suited her so they had to stay alert. She told people she worked those shifts so she could keep her medical skills sharp and current. Of course she could do the shifts during the day if that was the case. The real reason she did night shifts was she was feeling a particular amount of stress about something in her life and couldn't sleep. The ER provided a distraction instead of tossing and turning in bed. Here she actually felt needed and useful.

Usually the night shift was pretty busy. Sure, the cases were routine drunks, heart attacks or strokes, and bad coughs but they usually came in a steady stream. On this particular evening though, the place was dead. The ER wasn't providing much of an escape after all as she spent her time hanging out at the nurses station, drumming her fingers and thinking about tomorrow. She could have been doing this in bed.

Her depressed train of thought quickly snapped as soon as she heard the automatic doors open. "My God, what happened?" She quickly ran over to assist a frantic Chase, who was carrying a barely conscious Cameron.

"Severe dehydration. Her urine is dark and she won't stop heaving." He paused before mentioning his major concern. "I think she has Hyperemesis Gravidarum."

Cuddy nodded at the sound logic of that diagnosis. She guided him to the nearest bed and he carefully placed Cameron down. Cuddy instantly went to prepare an IV drip, but Cameron started dry heaving again. "I need 25cc of Phenergan stat," she ordered one of the nurses.

Chase went to take her blood pressure and pulse. "Ah, ah, Nurse Adams will do that. You only get to be concerned husband here."

Chase nodded in acceptance and stepped out of the way. The nurse came running back with the injection and started taking the vitals. "Blood pressure is very low."

"I've got electrolytes running through her now, so that should improve in a few minutes." Cuddy injected the medicine into the IV tube and within a half minute the heaving stopped. Cameron also fell quickly into a deep sleep. "She seems to be exhausted."

Chase ran his fingers through his hair. "Yeah, her and me both."

After a few minutes of monitoring vitals the blood pressure steadily started to increase and the heart rate went down. "Keep watching the vitals. I'll be back to check on her soon." Cuddy instructed the nurse.

She pulled Chase to a private area where they could talk. "Has she been officially diagnosed?"

"No, that was my guess. I tried talking to her this evening about seeing her doctor. Maybe she'll believe me now."

Cuddy smiled. "Doctors aren't very good at diagnosing themselves. I'm ordering a urine sample as soon as more fluids get through her, but I'm sure it will be loaded with ketones."

"That would be my bet." Chase gave her a smile. "So, couldn't sleep again tonight?"

"What makes you ask that? I often volunteer for the night shift."

"House has people looking out for when you work the night shift so that when you go home the next morning for some sleep he could do what he wanted. He said you did this because you were feeling stress or guilt about something."

"Well he's wrong." Cuddy of course knew he was dead on right, but she had the right to deny it. "Anyway, I'll alert Cameron's OB to check her out first thing in the morning. If it's want you think it is, she needs to get on anti-nausea medication and a set of vitamins now. There is one more test I want to run, but I have to round up some special equipment. You can sit with her for now."

"Thanks Dr. Cuddy." He took a deep breath of relief and headed over to his still pale but improving wife.

---------------------------

Chase watched for 30 minutes as Cameron went through the most peaceful sleep she has had in weeks. He felt rather guilty not seeing that she was that bad off. He could have broken into the bedroom easy. It was nothing like the locks he had to pick when breaking in houses to search. It's funny that he hadn't done a break-in since he started at Princeton General. He was trying to figure out why that was.

His wandering mind was interrupted by the sound of wheels rolling against the tile floor from a rather large cart. He was surprised to see Cuddy bringing in a state of the art doppler sonogram. "You're giving her an ultrasound?"

"She's almost at seven weeks, right?"

Chase nodded.

"Then you know this machine makes it possible to see the baby's heartbeat as early as five weeks. The heartbeat will be weak, but it's the best way to tell if there still is one."

Chase rubbed his tired eyes, trying to figure out why he didn't expect this. "I'm not sure why I wasn't prepared. I would have done the same thing."

"You were thinking like a father. In a way, you aren't sure if you want to know if anything is wrong with the baby. You don't have to see this."

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss this for the world, even if its only going to be a blip on a screen. She's going to be mad to miss this though. Can you record it?"

"Yep, already set to do so. Ready to see this?"

Chase nodded. She put the gel on Cameron's abdomen and ran the transducer in a circle on it. She moved it around for several minutes but was unable to find a fetus or a heartbeat. She was trying to find something awfully small, and her skills were a little out of practice.

"May I?" Chase asked noticing her difficulty. "Finding needles in haystacks is my specialty."

Cuddy knew he was right there, so she let him take control of the transducer. Within a minute, he had success.

"Whoa," he said stunned as he saw the faint but very normal heartbeat. The realization hit him quickly that this wasn't any normal heartbeat. This was his child.

Cuddy smiled. "I see you are in dad mode again. Pretty cool, huh?"

"I've seen tons of fetus heartbeats before. None have affected me like this."

"They aren't supposed to. More than what you expected from a blip on a screen, don't you think?" She gave Chase some time to stare at the beats that were completely mesmerizing him.

"The good news is while mother is in distress, baby is doing just fine."

Chase didn't hear her words, for he was too lost in watching the tiny little pulses of his unborn child.

"Chase?"

He snapped out of his trance and handed the transducer back to Cuddy. "Uh thanks," he said, still shaken by his experience.

"I've left a message with Dr. Ades. She's going to confirm the diagnosis of Hyperemesis Gravidarum first thing in the morning. If all goes well she can go home by tomorrow afternoon."

Chase gave her a glance of relief laced with bewilderment over all that had happened this evening. He could take constant shifts of adrenalin with his job, but it was far more disconcerting with personal matters.

"Chase, she's going to be out for a few hours. I can find you a more comfortable place to sleep than those hard ER chairs."

"Thanks, but I want to be here when she wakes up. I know how to sleep in those chairs by now."

"Okay, I'll check in on you both later."

Cuddy stood from a distance and watched as Chase sat devoutly by Cameron's side still very astounded. Unfortunately for her, this shift didn't get her out of her funk. It only strengthened what had been troubling her. She wanted a baby now more than ever.

-----------------------

She stopped for coffee and a pastry on the way home. She felt like treating herself. Cuddy wasn't even sure why she told everyone she was going home for a few hours to sleep. It was more to shower and get a fresh change of clothes, because no sleeping would be involved. She was still too wired and coffee would only enhance her state.

She often wondered why she got such a big beautiful house when it was only her living in it. Everyone told her what a great investment it would be and that was certainly the case, but somehow she always hoped it was her way of setting herself up for more. She always told herself "there will always be time". How did she forget as a skilled doctor the hardship it is of a woman trying to get pregnant for the first time the closer she got to forty? Her periods weren't regular anymore, a phenomenon that often happened to women at middle age. That only increased the difficulty. She was trying to hit an arbitrary and moving target.

She lounged in her comfortable, spacious, and lonely living room asking her self the harsh questions that she beat herself up over time and time again. Another sip of the warm Starbucks just got her thinking more. Why didn't she give up this heartbreaking venture? Odds were very good now it wasn't going to work and with each negative pregnancy test she was only ripping herself further apart. She should look at the fear in Cameron and Chase's eyes at the prospect of juggling baby and career. She would have to accept that something would have to take priority over her career. A baby might make her complete, but was it worth giving up everything she worked hard for her entire life?

Friends told her to just start dating and go for a social life instead. She can kick the man out at the end of the evening, but a baby she was stuck with forever. That was exactly what she wanted though, something to be stuck with forever. As she downed that last bit of coffee, she found that beating herself up like this again wasn't going to do her any good. Work was work, but it was a distraction from having to deal with her life. She headed for the shower, and then it was back to being the solid, tough as nails hospital administrator she was destined to be.

-----------------------------------------------------

"What are doing here?" House said as he again infiltrated Cuddy's office without the customary knock of courtesy.

"Uh, boss, work here."

"You were in the ER last night. Considering you treated my doctor, it was hard to keep that a secret. You should be home getting your beauty sleep."

"I had work to do. Nothing a cup of coffee can't fix."

House sat down, smirk on his face as he was ready to diagnose what was troubling his well-endowed supervisor. "The fertility treatment didn't take."

"I have no idea if it did or not. It's best if I wait a little longer to confirm. It hasn't even been two weeks."

"Sure, a home pregnancy test wouldn't come back accurately, but a blood test would. You just don't want to know because every part of you knows it didn't."

"I'm sorry, was that the sound of you being in my clinic? I distinctly recall that was your duty this morning."

"Sorry, but I since I'm down a doctor I couldn't meet my obligations."

"So you decide to be in my office instead of meeting those obligations?"

"You're always so cranky without your sleep."

Her look of disdain as she removed her eyes from her paperwork gave House all indication that he was pushing the right buttons. Now he could go for the jugular. "The only way you are going to get what you want is to have a man in your bed on a regular basis."

"And I suppose you are that man? You can't even go on one date, let alone do more than your typical one night stand. You need to practice what you preach."

House wasn't in the least fazed by her insult. "I'm not the one with the crazed look whenever a pregnant woman or someone with a baby brushes by."

"Oh, I get it. You're pushy insistence to be my natural donor is really just a ploy to get me into bed. You just don't know how to take no for an answer."

"Damn, you caught me." House replied sarcastically, although it was the truth.

"Fine," she said throwing down her pen. "There seems to only be one way to get you to shut up. I don't just sleep with any man I want to. I require intimacy and companionship, two things that aren't even in your vocabulary. I dare you to take me on a real date after work. Somehow I think you aren't man enough to do it the right way. If you want sex, you're going to have to work for it."

"What do you think I have been doing? How much harder do I have to work?"

"I'll bet Wilson $500 you can't do it." She challenged with arms folded.

"The bet isn't possible there since you both would bet against me."

"A man doesn't get into my bed without treating me like a real woman and not some plaything."

"Fine, if those are the ground rules, what time would you like me to pick you up?"

Cuddy wasn't sure to be shocked or flattered that he wanted to do this. She remained in the middle, going for skeptical. He was going to try some tricks, that's for sure. "Fine, I'm dying to see how you pull this off. 7 o'clock. I insist on a nice place. No sleazy bars or betting tracks. Your only chance of success is if you sweep me off my feet."

"Deal. Now I'm going to place my bet with Wilson that you and I will have breakfast together your kitchen in the morning."

"That doesn't sound like we're having sex!" She shouted as he was leaving.

--------------------------

_Is that crying I hear? _Cuddy was coming in to tell her patient the discharge paperwork was all signed and she could go. As she opened the door, she found she heard correctly. Cameron was deeply sobbing while Chase held her hand, except he was smiling.

Her perplexed look was all she needed to give Chase. He pointed to a laptop, which was set off to the side. On it showed a very simple playback of a blip on a screen.

Cuddy smiled and it took everything she had to not cry herself. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Perfectly strong," Cameron said trying to calm herself down. "I thought for sure I was going to lose it."

"It seems so far the baby is well isolated from your physical distress. Did the pharmacy deliver your prescriptions?"

"Got them right here." Chase pointed to the bag on the table. "So I can take her home now?"

"You're all set. I don't care what that tyrant boss of yours says or does, you aren't allowed to even think about work until Monday morning. Let me know if he does anything. I'll take care of it."

"He already tried, but Robert shot him down."

"He also must let you go to your weekly appointments with Dr. Ades. I don't care if you and your husband are doctors, she needs to monitor the Hyperemesis."

Cameron nodded willingly. For the first time she was not doing anything that would jeopardize this baby.

"Get lots of rest for the next few days. I'll see you on Monday."

Chase followed Cuddy out for one final word. "You should follow your own advice. Did you sleep at all this morning?"

"I'm fine. You also have my permission to let Drs. Foreman and Wilson check on her while you're working. It seems you have a difficult case you will need to be there for, at least the administrator told me so when I called to vouch for you."

"I had to put my foot down about today. I still may have to go in. Thanks for at least approving, even though they would have done it behind your back."

Cuddy laughed. "Go take your wife home."

"Wear red."

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"Your date with House tonight. Red throws him off guard and makes him act like less of an ass."

"Go home." She said with a smile and walked away. Her smile soon faded though as she remembered from her game of chicken with House that she did indeed have a date tonight.

She shut herself in her office, locked the door and drew her blinds. There was no way she was going to survive this evening on no sleep. She sprawled out on the couch and fell fast asleep. As she suspected, she dreamt about babies. So was so in the emotional doghouse for this date.

-----------------------------

The loud knocking on her office door threw Cuddy out of her light rest. It's not like she was sleeping soundly anyway. Given that she was the head honcho, it could be important. She hazily worked her way over to the door and opened it.

It proved not to be important at all as a delivery person stood there holding a most spectacular vase of a dozen big and impeccable red roses. "Lisa Cuddy?"

"Yes, that's me," she answered still half asleep.

The person handed her the roses and a clipboard. "Sign here."

She signed the sheet on the clipboard and closed the door with roses in hand. She placed the flowers gently onto the edge of her desk but failed in her foggy state to appreciate how they lit up the room. There was only one guess as to who they were from, so the question was why? She got her answer as soon as she read the card.

_Wake up. You have one hour until our date. Prepare to be dazzled. _

_------------------------------------------------_

**a/n: Okay, I admit that I usually find pandering beneath me (not that kind of pandering!), but I hit a bit of a milestone today and felt compelled to share. I finally finished my five month long project on fiction press. It is a novel I have been bouncing around since 2003 but I rewrote it in the same type of writing style I use when writing fics. I'm thrilled with the results and hoping I can get at least more than one person to read it (my stats show only 1 hit per chapter). It is 26 chapters, but I think it turned out great. I'm biased though and would love for someone to tell me I'm right or wrong. The link to the story is at the top of my profile page if anyone is interested. It is called Drifting Through The North Star. There is also a link on my livejournal page. **

**As always, thanks for reading the fic! Please tell me if you don't mind me venturing into the Huddy (with Wilson, it will be strange) since I know most of my readers are Chase/Cameron shippers. It will still be primarily them, but I needed to do some variety. **


	6. Out of Character

**a/n: This one is the House/Cuddy date (with slight Wilson thrown in). You will have to let me know how I did on this one. It feels odd for me since I've never written this pairing in great detail. **

The full-length mirror exhibited dazzling proof that Chase knew exactly what he was talking about. She did look stunning in red. Forget distracting House, Cuddy was quite distracted by herself. She must have worn this red dress before for some type of seduction. The low cut neck line proudly displayed her better than average cleavage, the long flowing drape of the skirt stopped a few inches below the knee, and the split along the right side went all the way up her thigh allowing her to show off her shapely leg whenever she saw fit.

Shoes were never an issue with her. Imelda Marcos had nothing compared to her collection. For House, the black suede open toed heels would do the job nicely. The light floral scent of her selected perfume would be enough to tease, but not enough to say 'do me'. Earrings and a simple crystal pendant completed the package.

Despite the odd circumstances, Cuddy was feeling pretty good right now. She didn't have many occasions where she could get dressed up for the sole purpose of being a beautiful woman. She often looked her best, but that came with the role of being the dean of medicine. Tonight, she was allowed to be Lisa Cuddy, woman. She never had any issues in the confidence department in that regards and only hoped her efforts weren't being wasted on someone of her polar opposite. House usually went out of his way to look bad.

Cuddy had no doubt whatsoever that one look at her would win House over. Hell, she could come out wearing a burlap sack and he'd ogle. No, the pressure was on him to impress her. Any attempts at dressing up tonight were purely for her to feel better about herself and so far she was wildly succeeding. She anticipated House would fall way short in that area.

One more deep breath as the doorbell rang. Her only fear was that she'd drive House into cardiac arrest when he saw her. As she briskly swung open her front door, she wasn't disappointed. His hinged open jaw and bright glow of those stunned brilliant blue eyes was exactly the reaction she expected.

What she didn't imagine was her reaction upon seeing him.

Cuddy had always been attracted to House's mind, but his usual unkept appearance long squelched any physical attraction. All that changed tonight when her heart jumped out of her chest by just looking at him. His hair was actually properly trimmed along the sides and in perfect place at the top. His face was clean and he actually shaved! The winning item though was the suit, which was a very flattering charcoal grey with crisp white shirt. Draped over that shirt was a lovely blue tie that was the perfect compliment to his normally dreamy eyes, which now stood out even more with the clean-shaven face. His shoes were actually shiny and freshly polished black dress shoes and not Nikes.

"You look very lovely tonight." House tried to be sincere, but since compliments were hard for him they usually were unintentionally delivered with a slight hint of falsehood.

"Thank you. I might say the same about you. Did you actually go out of your way to make an impression? Who are you?" Cuddy gave him a flattered smile, but also felt a little awkward. Pretending to be civilized adults was far lost on them. Still, she supposed in this situation, protocol should be followed.

House was unfazed by her skepticism. "Ready to go?" He held out his left elbow, inviting her to take his arm. She nodded and obliged, thinking it was sweet that he was attempting to be a gentleman, but knowing inside it was likely killing him.

"You don't have to act like a decent person on my account."

"No, I want to try and do this right." It took every bit of strength he had not to roll his eyes let alone let out a smart-ass comment.

At the end of the walkway was a newly polished, bright and shiny 1965 red Corvette.

"I thought you gave this back?" Her tone moved quickly into her typical lecturing mode.

House's face neither showed guilt or innocence. "I did. I get to, uh, borrow it every once in a while."

Cuddy usually knew when House was lying, but she couldn't tell here. He would have to be given the benefit on the doubt.

House went as far to open the car door for her and help her in. The top was on given the chilly air, but that didn't detract from how sweet the vehicle was on the inside. The cozy two-seater complete with classic and well maintained interior red leather felt wonderful to sink right into. As a reward, she flashed him a profile of her right leg through the slit of the dress. He obviously noticed because he delayed closing the door for a few seconds because he was gasping for air. Cuddy coyly beamed because she never grew tired of such a reaction.

House took his place in the driver's seat. She could see the glint in his eye as he started the car. There was something about the hum from an engine of a 1965 Corvette that brought out the little boy in him. The look was far more rewarding than watching the relief he got from popping a vicodin. She expressed her pleasure over the choice of transportation with another big smile.

The purr of the engine compensated for the awkward silence between the two as they moved along the road. There wasn't really anything to say that wouldn't result in antagonistic comments and both were trying hard to be on their best behavior. After a while though, Cuddy couldn't help but comment. "You have taken impeccable care of this vehicle."

"Thanks," he replied with a smile, but let it sag when he realized she just tripped him up. "If it were mine."

She continued to stare at him, trying desperately to figure out what he was up to. "Come on, I'll let you make at least one comment about how my boobs and ass look in this dress."

"Who me? I didn't notice."

Cuddy chuckled, noticing the slight grit in his teeth and playful smile when he said that. She'll break him by the end of the evening.

House arrived at their destination, pulling the vehicle into a parking spot on the street. He got out and moved to the passenger side to let his date out.

"House, this is your apartment building."

"Yep," he simply said in acknowledgement. He carried a tricky grin as he led her inside the building and opened the door marked '221B'.

Cuddy couldn't believe what she saw on the other side of the door. The room was dimly light, mostly illuminated by candles. On the other side of the room was an already set table for two draped in a white tablecloth glowing with two bright dinner candles. Someone dressed in a white uniform and apron emerged from the kitchen.

"Good evening sir, ma'am. May I take your coat?" He helped Cuddy take her coat off and pushed it quickly away into the closet. He came back and led them over to the table, pulling out the chair for her. She and House both sat down, while Cuddy wore a curious glare over what he was up to. He stayed straight faced as if nothing weird was going on.

The server disappeared into the kitchen and returned promptly with a bottle of red wine. He opened it, poured a slight amount in the bottom of a glass and placed it in front of Cuddy. "I hope it meets with your approval. Dr. House personally selected it."

She nodded graciously and took a drink. Her face scrunched over the very pleasing taste. "Yes, this is outstanding." She again looked at House, who was still very low key and humble while the server poured them both a full glass. Once he left, she felt it was time to ask questions.

"You selected this? Funny, you don't look like Wilson." She took a seductive sip, waiting curiously for an answer.

House smiled and took his own drink. "I took the time to ask him. Doesn't that count for something?"

She put the wine glass down and hunched over while looking squarely at him. "So, why your place?"

"I wanted something private and nowhere has better ambience."

Cuddy laughed. "Ambience? Since when was ambience to you something other than pizza and beer followed by an OC marathon?"

"Gee, thanks for bringing that up," he said rolling his eyes. He was still torn up over its cancellation. "Care to pour some more salt into that wound?"

Cuddy exhaled in relief, thankful to see a sign of the wise cracking House she knew. Right about that time the server came out with the first course. "Butternut squash bisque. Care for some fresh ground pepper?"

Cuddy nodded as he put some into her bowl. House kept waving him on until there was a nice crust of pepper covering his soup.

She grimaced in pleasure over the wonderful taste of the dish. "Remind me to ask Wilson for suggestions next time I host a dinner party."

"The bisque was my idea. He suggested potato leek. How gross is that?" His bright smile over his joke left Cuddy's heart a flutter. How could it be he was winning her over so quickly into the evening?

----------------------------

The courses kept coming, all while House kept a leash on his behavior. A mixed-greens salad with Roquefort crumbles was served next, followed by a mild fruit sorbet to clear the palate. The server then came with another selection of wine and poured two new glasses. "An Australian chardonnay. The flavors will really come out when you drink this with the duck."

"Duck?" She asked in amazement.

He came out a minute later with two plates loaded with the main entrée. "Marinated duck ala orange with snow peas and basil and garlic whipped potatoes."

Cuddy tried desperately to read any sign of sarcasm or derision from House over this ritual while she tore into her entrée. His demeanor stayed calm and serious. "This meal is far better than anything I've had at a five star restaurant. How did you get a private chef to do this last minute? Unless you had planned to trick me into dating you today far in advance."

House remained rather nonchalant over the whole thing. "Chef Pierre there owed Wilson a favor, something about in exchange for some free medical care. Anyway, he was supposed to cook for Wilson tonight."

"His name is Pearson if you took time to notice. I can't believe Wilson gave this up for you."

"No, he gave it up for you. I already had a spot at the table. I doubt though that we would have dined by romantic candlelight, but maybe Wilson was planning on surprising me. We'll never know I guess."

Cuddy laughed. "Wilson could have done this for me and kicked you out. I'll have to thank him personally later."

"Sure give him all the credit. He doesn't have a hot car like I do." House replied mockingly. Cuddy could have sworn she heard a hint of jealousy, but she dismissed it as speculation. She gave him another a teasing smile and took a drink of the wine. Wow, the flavor really did come out well with the duck.

--------------------------------

The server walked in with a bottle of some very fine aged brandy and two brandy glasses. They had just finished the final course, a very rich Chocolate Mousse. Cuddy felt like she was going to slip into a food coma now. He poured the finishing touch to very long and satisfying meal into each of the glasses.

"Thanks, I think we are done for the evening. You can leave the bottle." House said pulling out $200, which summarily dismissed the help for the night.

"Thank you," Cuddy told him. "It was all outstanding. Could you leave a business card behind?"

"Yes ma'am. Both of you enjoy the rest of your evening."

House stood up with his glass in his hand, "Now for the entertainment. Bring the drink." She followed his lead over to the couch.

While she got comfortable, House took his seat behind the piano. In that very instant, she could see him lost in the allure of the keys and it was as if he was now the only person in the room. He moved his fingers along the instrument passionately, starting with a nice lite jazz piece. It wasn't recognizable to her, but it was lovely nonetheless.

Cuddy tried to remember the last time she heard him play. It was at one of the staff parties a few years ago she was pretty sure. She remembered Wilson telling her that he rarely played for an audience anymore.

Her mind got lost in watching his face, so much so that she barely remembered the notes she heard. He looked so content, so peaceful, so happy. He was so completely absorbed into the music it was like the world around him didn't exist. He was one with the music, indicating it was likely the only true love of his life.

When he was done playing the song, he paused for a few seconds examining the black and white keys while the last notes still hung in the air. Once the reverberation stopped, he downed his drink in one gulp, poured another, and promptly went into something by Chopin.

The drink, the relaxing music, the comfortable couch, and the fact that she hadn't slept the night before all combined into the right punch where by the third song she was dead to the world on the sofa.

----------------------------------------

The wonderful, sometimes swirling, sometimes melodic, sometimes commanding tones of the piano were there serving as a soundtrack to her dreams. The music only added to the vivid nature of the images flashing through her subconscious. Somehow though, amongst those flashes, eventually perception set in and she became aware that the music was actually playing in the background and not just in her mind. Her eyes fluttered open to see House still at the piano, going with an Elton John song this time.

She shook herself out of her haze and looked at her watch. 2 AM. "Have you been playing piano all this time?"

"Yep," he said stopping to take another drink. The bottle was mostly gone, so he must have been drinking for both of them while she slept.

"You can sit for 4 plus hours drinking and playing the piano? No wonder you are always sleeping at work."

"I'm afraid that I'm a little too drunk to take you home. You are welcome to my bed. I'll pass out on the couch when I'm ready. I hope you don't have to be at work early tomorrow."

"Saturday, day off, remember?"

"Good, you can sleep in then."

She stood up and rested her elbow on the edge of the piano, allowing the vibrations to tickle her senses. The sensation was more pleasing than jolting.

"About what time do you normally give up?"

"All depends on the drink of choice. This brandy is a little less powerful than the scotch I normally have, so my guess is I'll be going a few more hours."

Cuddy gave him a big smile and straightened herself, removing her body from the feelings provided by the keyboard. "Good night House. For what it's worth, I had a very lovely evening. You did impress me." She turned around, entered the bedroom and closed the door.

House cracked a tiny grin after watching her disappear. "Too bad I'm so damn boring when I'm impressive." He went on to play some jazz improv based on a piece by Bill Evans.

---------------------

Wilson heard the apprehensive knock on his office door. He knew it couldn't be House for two reasons. First, it's Saturday. Second, there was knocking. He normally was left alone when working Saturdays, so his curiosity piqued by the visitor. "Come in."

"Are you busy?" Cuddy entered wearing casual clothes, ruling out the likelihood of a professional visit.

"Not at all. It's my guess you are here to tell me about your evening."

She slowly sauntered over to the chair in front of his desk. The pleasant look on her face gave him hints that all indeed went well. "I want to thank you for giving up your spot with the personal chef for me."

"He wasn't supposed to tell you that, but I knew he would."

"It was a really nice evening. House was actually very civil."

"That means he didn't talk much. That must have killed him. He probably played the piano all night."

"Yes, he did." She shouldn't have been surprised by the comment since Wilson knows him better than anyone, but she was nonetheless.

"That's the only thing that keeps his mouth shut. How late were you there?"

"I feel asleep on the couch at first, and then he let me have his bed when he was too drunk to drive me home. He was asleep on the couch when I called a cab at 7:30 this morning."

"More like passed out. He was probably up to 4 or 4:30. So you came in today just to tell me all about it?"

She lowered her head, ready to reveal her true reason. "No, I need a favor and I was hoping you would be working today. I need you to run a blood test on me."

He gave her his full attention now, knowing the importance of her request. "Checking for pregnancy?"

Cuddy nodded.

"Sure, I've got some time right now. You sure you don't want to wait a little longer?"

"No, I'd rather know now."

Wilson stood up, not willing to show delay. "Onto the lab then."

----------------------

They sat patiently in the lab waiting for the test to complete. Wilson did all he could to make her feel at ease, but she was too nervous. "You have some sort of prediction?" He asked.

"Yes but I don't want to jinx it."

"Superstition is to religion what astrology is to astronomy; the mad daughter of a wise mother." Wilson wasn't sure why such a thought popped into his head, but it did.

Cuddy had actually heard that one before and appreciated the sentiment. "Voltaire, isn't it? I'm acting pretty kooky, aren't I?"

Wilson smiled, showing full understanding of her pressure. "You know, it's not my place to question why anyone would want to carry on a legacy, but why go through it? Sometimes these things aren't just meant to be."

"Logically I tell myself that everyday, but every fiber of my being tells me to keep trying because it will be oh so worth it in the end."

"Then you should keep trying. You don't need a better reason than that." Just as Wilson finished those words, the timer went off.

She gave him a tense look just before he checked the microscope. He glanced back stone faced, not indicating an answer either way. "I'm sorry Lisa, its negative."

Cuddy bit her lip and nodded. "Yes, that's what I was expecting. Nothing really felt different, but I had to be sure."

Wilson could tell what she really needed right now was a friend. "Come on, let's get some coffee. My treat."

"Thanks, I would love that." Wilson gestured his hand outward, guiding the way out. She gave him a sad smile of thanks and he followed behind.

---------------------

House heard a knock on the door. He knew it wasn't Wilson. First, it was too early in the evening on a Saturday. Second, there was knocking. He limped over without use of cane. "I'm coming."

Cuddy's deep and sincere blue eyes wore right through him as he didn't expect to see her on the other end. He knew that look. It was vulnerable, it was pleading, it was needy.

"I'm sorry, and I want to thank you." She said as soon as he was able to figure out her frame of mind.

"What for?"

"You did everything I wanted last night. It couldn't have been more perfect. You went out of your way to impress me, to show me a side of yourself no one ever sees, and you were on your best behavior. I thank you for that all, and I'm never asking you to do that again. While it was all very nice, it wasn't you."

"Thank God." He gave her a slightly satisfied smirk, feeling somewhat redeemed for his effort. "Would you like to come in for a drink?"

"I'd love to." She pleasingly walked through the space he cleared for her. He closed the door, leaving both to wonder what could possibly transpire in the course of an evening alone.

**a/n: Back to Chase/Cameron, Pamela/Foreman fun and fluff next chapter. Thanks for reading!**


	7. Rainy Day List

**a/n: Light humor and fun on this one. Happy Reading!**

**---------------------------**

"You don't know how much I appreciate this," Chase said letting his early morning guest in.

"What are friends for? Is she sleeping right now?"

"She's been mostly sleeping since we got home yesterday afternoon. It's the most peace we've had in a few weeks. Hopefully she'll be able to eat something when she wakes up."

Pamela set her large bag down on the kitchen table and went straight for the coffee pot. "No need to worry Robert. Eric and I have today covered. He should be around sometime this afternoon, but I'll call him if something is wrong."

Chase gave her an amused glare as he noticed what she placed on the table. "So what's in the bag?"

"Fun stuff for those of us at the party. You have to work, remember? Tough luck for you."

"Thanks, rub it in." Chase would rather be forced to stay home and rest. He was almost envious of Allison in that regards.

"Is she feeling better?"

"She's already woken up twice and cursed me for doing this to her, so it sounds like she is doing much better. You know to call me too at anytime if something is wrong."

Pamela never liked being patronized, even though she knew he wasn't doing it on purpose. "I'm not watching your two year old. Now go."

Chase knew not to think twice about a Pamela order. "See ya," he said as he grabbed his messenger bag and quickly left.

Pamela took in a huge breath of relief over the aroma drifting from the warm coffee mug in her hand. She so needed it this morning. She was not a morning person and really didn't know how Robert and Allison both did it. 'Crazy white people' was her only reasoning.

She glanced full circle around the quiet room, recognizing that after all this time living here together they really did need to do something with the place. It was pretty bland. Of course she would have to bring up later that they might need to consider getting a house instead. The kid needed a yard and some other kids around so they could setup some play dates. She figured such an idea would blow Allison's mind.

_Hmm, what could be airing on Saturday morning?_ She took her fresh coffee and placed herself in front of the really cool TV. _Damn, Eric and I are going TV shopping first chance we get._ She didn't remember the last time she watched TV on a Saturday morning. Maybe because she didn't watch much TV since they only had basic cable. She knew Robert and Allison had something much better.

Her attention was quickly reached when she saw the _Trading Spaces_ marathon. She and Eric recently brought up the idea of painting and decorating their boring white walls. She needed all the help she could get with decorating ideas since she didn't know of anything better than 20th century garage sale decor. It now seemed like her morning was set. _Ooh, look what you can do to an old piece of furniture. _She was rather excited asthe ideas were flowing now.

-------------------------------

A few hours later Cameron gingerly crept out of her room. She was just disoriented enough to where the presence of a houseguest alarmed her.

"Granted I haven't seen you recently, but you aren't looking like the death warmed over that Eric described." Pamela knew Allison didn't like over-concern, so she wasn't going to show any today.

"Gee thanks. So you do babysitting on the side? How much an hour is that paying nowadays?"

"For use of your TV and premium cable, nothing. This is the most entertainment I've had in a while."

"It's satellite. Cable sucks." Cameron took a seat on the couch next to her and was floored by what they were witnessing on the TV show. She and Pamela watched the train wreck of a reveal with mouths completely hung open.

"Is that room completely decorated in cardboard?" Cameron asked.

"Uh huh, and she applied it to the walls with liquid nails too. That room is completely ruined. It'll cost them way more to repair it. That designer is one crazy motheryouknowwhat."

Cameron laughed a little. "That would make a good prank. House's office maybe?"

"He wouldn't notice. Actually, he'd like the changes. There are a few relatives I could easily do that to. I'd actually like to box Jamal in."

They sat quietly for a long time, watching these normal people be rather inept at home improvement and then cry in horror over the end result. After a while, Cameron surmised watching paint dry would be more fun. "You've been watching this all morning?"

"Uh huh. Eric is so in trouble. I'm ready to paint the whole house now."

"I think I'd rather go back to bed."

"Oh no you don't. I've got instructions. You need to eat something."

Cameron turned a little green at the idea. Granted the medication was preventing her nausea, but she didn't have an appetite yet. "I'm not hungry."

"I'm not your momma. Don't make me shove something down your throat."

"I may not be getting sick anymore, but everything sounds repulsive."

"Don't worry; I did research on the expecting moms forums. I've got everything under control."

Pamela disappeared into the kitchen for five minutes. Cameron heard the clanging of a plate on the counter and the ripping sounds of various boxes and packages. Eventually Pamela re-emerged holding in her hands a huge plate of goodies and a smile.

"This is your idea of me eating something?"

"According to the forum, this is the one time in your life you can have reckless abandon with food. I have only the best here. Chocolate macaroons, Lorna Doones, bonbons, Oreos, chocolate peanut butter chunk cookies, Twinkies, Hohos, and Little Debbie cakes. The best possible feast for any pregnant woman."

"You aren't pregnant, so is this all for me?"

"Are you kidding? It would be rude of me to not join in. I'll have just one."

Cameron carefully examined the plate and shrugged, now seeing the logic. "Anything with peanut butter in it gives me protein." She grabbed a chocolate peanut butter chunk cookie and tore into it. "My God, this tastes like filet mignon." She promptly had a few more.

"Hmm, let me try." Pamela devoured hers and quickly went for a Hoho next.

"I thought you were having just one?" Cameron asked.

"That's right. One of each."

Cameron shook her head laughing while they continued to shovel in goodies at an alarming rate. "So this is lunch?"

"This, no, this is just the appetizer. The real lunch is in the kitchen. Lots of calcium for your baby's needs."

"What are we having?"

"Ben and Jerry's."

-------------------------

Cameron tried her best to maintain complete and total concentration, but that was getting too hard. The hormonal surge was largely responsible for the foggy state of mind lately. "Why are we doing this?"

"It's on the list."

"What list?"

"Things to do on a rainy day."

Cameron looked out the living room window, admiring the bright sunny day that she was otherwise missing. "It's not raining."

"Sure it is. It's raining pregnant women on bed rest."

Cameron rolled her eyes and went back to struggling with the basic concepts of what she was doing. She couldn't believe she was actually being put through this.

"Haven't you ever made a house of cards before?"

"No, I've only played them."

"What games?"

"Solitaire." Cameron let her arm jostle just a little and the collection of cards fell onto the table.

Pamela laughed. "You see, it's not as easy as it looks."

Cameron got up, leaving the cards behind. "Give me that list. I'm picking next." Pamela handed her the list as requested and she mulled over the choices. "_Indoor basketball?_"

Pamela gave her a quick and easy demonstration. She took a piece of paper, balled it up, and with a decent hook shot sailed it into the trashcan.

"I see. What else do we have? _Blow bubbles?_"

Pamela pulled out the package of bubble liquid from her large bag. Cameron decided that was a no.

"_Grass topped friend?_"

"I ain't getting out all the stuff needed to demonstrate that."

"_Truth or dare?_ Are we twelve?"

"Adults can be raunchier. We need Robert and Eric for my version."

Cameron shook off any quick and wrong idea that entered her head. "I won't ask. Okay, here's one. _What's in the bag?_"

"I'll warn you now. My version can get pretty gross. When Jamal and I would play this, it was our job to see who could make the other one puke first."

"I'm a doctor. How gross can it be?"

About 20 minutes later Pamela stood outside the bathroom door feeling very guilty. "I'm sorry Allison. The last thing I should be doing is making someone with Hypermesis gag."

She emerged from the bathroom looking a lot better than when she rushed in. "It's okay, I only threw up in my mouth a little. Who won this game more, you or Jamal?"

"It was a draw. We both knew each other's triggers."

"I'll say. I'm better off with the card house. Plus I need another cookie."

----------------------

"Hey baby, how was your day?" Pamela gave Foreman a huge kiss as he came off a rather quiet day at work.

"Nice actually," he answered. "When you are the only one there, you get a lot done. The highlight was Cuddy and Wilson looking rather cozy in the cafeteria. That will dominate the Monday gossip."

Foreman looked around the apartment scattered with items. "You brought the rainy day list?"

"Yeah, it was great. I wore Allison out though. She's been asleep for over an hour. You bring the films?"

"Yep, and the other stuff too. Evening entertainment is all set. Let's watch TV. They've got satellite with HD. We could put on some basketball."

"Oh, I've got something better." She pointed to the same marathon she was watching earlier. "You think our living room would look dazzling in bright red with a black accent wall?"

Foreman's bugged out glare easily indicated that his wife had lost her mind. "Only if we lived in hell."

Cameron sleepily emerged from the bedroom. She had been partially awake for a few minutes, but the sound of voices was her cue to appear. Her jaw dropped by what she saw on the TV. "Are they supposed to be living in hell?"

"You see, she gets it!" Foreman shouted to his wife. He grabbed the remote, put on the Pistons and Pacers in full HD and sat down very contented.

Pamela threw him a gaze of disdain, which he completely ignored. She waved him off as an ignoramus. "Here," she said to Cameron handing her a few take out menus. "You need to pick out a real dinner. No side salads are allowed."

"You can't win friends with salad." Foreman said while never taking his eyes off the game.

"Shut up." Pamela abruptly responded and turned back to Cameron. "Anything you want I can go fetch."

Cameron mulled over her choices, most of which turned her stomach sour. She tried not to make faces of repulsion since Pamela was watching over her like a mother hen, but she couldn't help it. Finally, the ideal item was spotted. "I'll have the Big Momma."

Pamela grabbed the menu. The selected item came from the local sub shop. "You want the 1 lb meatball sub?"

"With extra cheese and sauce please."

Pamela was unsure what a good idea that would be, but complied. "I suppose you are eating for two. Eric, what do you want from the sub shop?"

"I'll have what she's having," he said brushing off the question. The Pistons were on a ten-point run.

"You want a Big Momma too?"

Now she managed to get Foreman's attention. "She's getting what?" He shook off the heebeegeebees from thinking anyone could eat that. "No, I'll have a turkey club."

Pamela grabbed her purse. "I'm obviously in charge of fetching. Be back soon."

Cameron took her place next to Foreman on the couch. She watched the game with both curiosity and confusion. "Isn't Chicago playing?"

"They suck. They only like to show the good teams for nationally televised games."

"Since when is Detroit better than Chicago?"

"Since the 90's ended. What do you and Chase actually watch on this thing?"

"Soccer and Cricket. You wouldn't believe how intense the Ashes matches are. I root for the Brits just to be antagonistic."

Foreman shook his head in disbelief. "Remind me to slap Chase when he gets home. Live in this country, watch our sports."

"No, the Aussies are funny. It's interesting to watch an entire nation get drunk over a match and go excessively hog wild over such things as a sticky wicket."

Foreman looked over to see Cameron smiling. He figured out she was playing with him. "Seriously, does he make you watch that stuff?"

"Sure, but I'll put baseball or football on sometimes. It's the compromise that makes our marriage work."

"But you don't follow basketball?"

Cameron shook her head.

"You two are still hopeless then."

--------------------------

Foreman and Pamela stared in utter horror, unable to fathom what they were witnessing. Pamela actually shuddered because it was too much to bear, but then contained her composure enough to continue watching the spectacle.

Cameron continued unaware to the show she was putting on as she polished off the Big Momma sub. As she took the very last satisfying bite, she finally became cognizant that she had attracted an audience. "What?" she asked although her question was muffled by her still loaded mouth.

Both of them shook off their expressions, not wanting to go through this ordeal any longer. "Ready for movie night?" Pamela asked Foreman.

"Yep, I'll get the props."

Cameron was too afraid to ask about the last comment, maybe because her stomach was still negotiating over the meatball sub. "Movie night? What are we watching?"

"Eric wanted Blaxploitation films, I wanted classic alien films so lucky for you we're doing both!"

"Joy," Cameron said sarcastically. That meatball sub won't sit right for sure now.

Foreman came back with the big bag and pulled out three wigs and three sets of sunglasses.

"Afros? Bug eye sunglasses? What are we watching?"

"Cleopatra Jones." Foreman proudly said holding up the DVD.

Pamela was displeased. "I thought we were watching Foxy Brown?"

"I changed my mind." They proceeded to put on their wigs and glasses while a dumbfounded Cameron stared at them.

"Put on your wig and glasses," Pamela instructed with firmness.

"Uh, aren't I a bit too white for this?"

"Are you mocking my people?" Pamela said now in full costume with hand on her hips.

Cameron broke down in laughter at the sight. "No Cleopatra. I don't want to cross you." She put on her wig and glasses, now looking every bit as ridiculous as the other two.

"It's Showtime." Foreman announced after he put the DVD into the player. They all sat in a row on the couch, looking like they fell into strange time warp that went terribly wrong.

----------------------

The sound of the front door lock being opened was all Cameron needed. She bolted off the couch and jumped into Chase's arms before he could even get through the door. "Hold me." She said with pleading desperation.

Needless to say, the sight he was subjected to was rather disconcerting. "Have we been invaded?"

Cameron looked upward, remembering the ridiculous item on the top of her head. She ripped it off with quick fury. Enough was enough.

"Why are you all wearing tin foil hats?" Chase could have never expected coming home to this.

"So the aliens don't control our thoughts. Don't you know what they are for?" Pamela harangued.

"Help me Robert. These crazy people have held me in our home all day against my will and made me do foolish things. I'm frightened." She clutched onto him tighter.

"I see that." He glanced at the TV still in complete confusion over the abrupt nature of his homecoming. "Plan 9 From Outer Space? Why is the sound off?"

"They are making up their own dialogue. Please, kill me." Cameron begged.

Chase looked at Pamela and Foreman's guilty faces, and then busted out laughing. "Can I play?"

Pamela got up off the couch. "Sure, but I need to make you a hat first."

Chase joined Foreman on the couch. Cameron had enough. "I give up. I'm going to bed. Foreman, thank your wife for completely throwing off my day."

"Oh, she's coming back tomorrow. Something about home pedicures and braiding each other's hair."

Cameron rolled her eyes again. It had grown to be a bad habit on this day. "This is your fault," she said pointing to Chase. "You did this to me."

"Goodnight dear." Chase said trying to be sweet, but he was interrupted by the delivery of his tin foil hat.

She slinked into the bedroom unnoticed. They were getting to the best part of the film and were too focused on building crafty lines. That and making sure the aliens weren't reading their thoughts.

**a/n: It's yet another gold star to whoever spots the Simpsons reference. This one isn't so obvious. so it will be two gold stars. As usual, reviews welcome, even constructive concrit. **


	8. Strange Behavior, part 1

**a/n: Double gold star for the last chapter goes to iloveweirdsocks and chislarina. The Simpson's reference was, "You don't win friends with salad." I'm glad that chapter went over so well. It was a blast to write.**

**There was a delay in this chapter because I wrote too much. As a result, I had to break it out into two chapters. Part 1 is now, part two will be out probably Wednesday (barring site issues). I never post on episode night unless the episode sucks (I've only had to do that once). **

**------------------------------**

House came in noticing the freaked out terror in Foreman's face as he took refuge in his office. "Oh no, what are we up against this morning?"

"It's the worst yet. She's happy."

"Happy?"

"Overly sickening sweet bundle of joy happy. She's singing and twirling and brought in donuts. She started going on and on about what a beautiful day this is. I had to leave before I caught some sort of retched happiness disease."

"Where is she now?"

"The clinic. Hopefully those derelicts will break her spirit."

House slumped into his desk chair and rubbed his forehead with his right hand. "She's only in week ten. I'm not sure I can take 30 more weeks of this crap."

"She's wearing us all down and not just with the emotional crap. She has her physical issues. She's half a doctor right now. We can't do a procedure for more than 15 minutes without her having to pee. Her fatigue is so bad most of the time I can't let her touch patients for fear that she'll fall asleep during a test. She loses her train of thought so easily that a sponge has a better chance of carrying out the treatment. If she complains about how large and uncomfortable her breasts are feeling one more time I'm going to kill myself."

"Would you like a little cheese with that whine?" House tried to stand his snarky ground, but instead let his face fall flat, admitting that Foreman was actually right. "I know it's a problem. I have to allow all her doctors visits and prevent her from working too late so she gets her full 8 hours of sleep. Who gets a full nights rest every night anymore? We need another doctor."

"You think??" Foreman wasn't sure to be thrilled or angry over House's observation. He had only been telling him that for months.

"It will take me forever to find the right person. Either I go through that pain or," House smiled at his cunning idea, "I start doing procedures myself."

"Why is that a brilliant idea over hiring another fellow?"

"Because now I can get out of clinic duty. We can even give Cameron double clinic duty. She can't do as much damage there."

"You, actually work with the patients? That won't last."

"It's brilliant. What does our patient need done?"

"Angioplasty."

House stood up, determined to carry his plan forward. "Then I've got to get to work."

Foreman shook his head as House breezed on by. He knew this plot was doomed.

-------------------------

"Good morning Allison. Thanks for waiting."

"I don't mind. It got me away from the clinic for a while."

"You look cheerful this morning. Things going well?"

"Couldn't be better."

Dr. Ades studied the chart carefully. It seemed the nurse had taken a lot of notes, thus indicating that things were hardly better. "Ten weeks along and your short-term memory and fatigue is getting worse, beyond normal. Has this been affecting your job?"

Cameron's eyes dropped, ashamed to admit her recent struggles. "House won't let me do procedures and I'm spending more time in the clinic these days."

"I see. Your weight hasn't gone up either. You are still 15 lbs down from your pre-pregnancy weight."

"It's a miracle diet!" She joked, although Dr. Ades wasn't laughing. "It doesn't seem like 15 lbs. My waist line is getting bigger."

"That's because it's supposed to be. Something would be very wrong if it wasn't. You haven't been getting sick?"

"No. I just don't feel like eating much."

"Any sensitivity to odors?"

"Yes, many of the hospital disinfectants make my stomach turn, not to mention most food. I don't get sick though."

"On the plus side, your urinalysis looked pretty good, so no ketones and the reported frequent urination is just a normal part of pregnancy. That should let up in the second trimester."

"What about the third?"

"Waterfalls galore." Dr. Ades made a few more notes. "Your blood pressure is pretty low this morning. Have you been checking it daily?"

"Yes, uh, sure, uh most days." She hung her head down when she saw her doctor wasn't buying it. "Okay, not really."

"Taking your supplements?"

"Yes, that I have done."

Dr. Ades took more notes and started shaking her head. "I shouldn't have to tell you this since you are a doctor, but not getting sick doesn't mean that you aren't getting enough nutrition. You are still slightly malnourished. Once we get your weight back up and get you eating at regular intervals your symptoms will improve."

She wrote out two scripts and handed the first one to Cameron. "Thiamine. We'll see if memory improves from taking that. As for this one, give this to Dr. House and keep a copy for yourself."

Cameron shockingly read the prescription. "This is a schedule to eat 8 times a day."

"Your hypermesis makes you prone to malnutrition and your job makes it worse. You aren't losing weight, but you need to be gaining. Set your watch or beeper to remind yourself when its time to eat. If you don't eat more and eat nutritious foods, gain weight, and show improvement with your blood pressure, shakiness and fatigue, I'm putting you on disability and bed rest."

Her eyes grew very wide. Whatever scare tactic was working. "I will."

The doctor smiled. "Okay, now that we have that out of the way, it's time for the best part. Let's check out the baby's heartbeat."

-----------------------

Cuddy really needed to stop wearing those high heels. She could be heard coming from a mile away. House thought about running, but he was too tired for that. Procedures can actually be exhausting. He would sit and fight the berating he was about to get.

"You actually treated a patient?"

"Our department is in crisis. I needed to step up."

"Sending Cameron for double duty in the clinic is stepping up? She cried over a worried six-year-old girl with strep throat. She scared her mother to near death."

"She'll kill our patients through her shaky hand, mental fog, or bladder issues. Where else could I send her? The clinic patients will recover. It's 'low cost' for a reason."

"Foreman said you actually mentioned the idea of hiring someone else."

"I talked myself out of it. It was a fleeting thought, but this is a temporary problem that will pass."

Cuddy folded her arms, perfectly willing to fall into House's game. "You have a budget for three doctors. Use it."

"You know how long it will take to find the right person to work with these other two hard asses? It's a pointless task."

Cuddy gave him a cunning grin, revealing that she was privy to the real truth.

"What's so funny?"

"You miss Chase."

"No I don't."

"You won't hire another doctor because you regret letting him get away. No, you were hoping he'd see the error in his ways and come back. You are keeping the position open for him. He would never leave his attending position to come back as a fellow. What are you thinking?"

"He doesn't have to comeback as a fellow. The merger will let him stay an attending."

Cuddy put on her best face of ignorance. "Merger?"

"Come on, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Hospital networks are big business these days. I know Trinity Health wants to pull both us and Princeton General into their mega hospital family. We will look so damn good on one of their marketing brochures."

"You are wrong."

"Yeah, than why have you been in secret meetings about it over the last year?"

"Even if this little whacked out scenario in your mind was true, which it is not, there is no way it will get Chase back. Hire another doctor, or I will."

"Don't give me that. The merger talks that have been off and on for a while now are finally back on. You knew as well as I did that when we sent Chase off to Princeton General that there was a real possibility we would be getting him back."

"You are delusional. There was never any real possibility that it would happen." She turned away and spoke something under her breath. "Only a slight one."

"I heard that!" House declared with a self-righteous smirk.

"Hire another doctor or I will." She stormed off feeling that she still proved her point despite her slight admission.

"Hire another doctor or I will." House snarled with a high pitched mock after Cuddy left. He had a little time to stall. He would have to check with his mole to see how close this merger was to happening. Of course he still needed to figure out what to do if it was real.

---------------------

Eric Foreman was at the end of his rope. Everyone had gone completely insane around him. Between Cameron not being able to work evenings which required him to pull long shifts with the patients on his own, and his wife's current obsession to combat her boredom over his absence with home decorating projects, all was not well. All was getting pretty damn miserable fast.

Their recent case was baffling to say the least. Through House's usual reckless brilliance, a patient with supposedly no hope was given a last ditch shot at an experimental drug that would hopefully alleviate the chronic encephalitis that the disease caused. That would at least buy some more time. The treatment required round the clock monitoring. After a 36 hour shift and slight improvement, he was finally allowed to go home and rest.

When he got home though, he instead got his own glimpse into Chase's reality. He finally found out what it was like to come home to a huge shock that he could have not possibly been prepared for. After wearily opening his front door with the key and being completely bulldozed by what he saw inside, he had to quickly step back outside and examine the front of his home to make sure he had the right place. Once he confirmed this was indeed his residence, he was too scared to go back in.

The front door opened and his smiling but somewhat confused wife came to greet him. "I thought I heard the front door. Why are you standing out here?"

"I'm hallucinating. The fatigue is playing tricks with my mind. I'm seeing bright colors."

Pamela got slightly excited. "Oh, you saw it. Isn't it great? Come in and see my handiwork."

She had to practically grab his arm and drag him in. Eventually he cooperated, knowing resistance was futile. He stepped into the living room and was hit by the vivid combination of some really annoying colors.

"So, what do you think?"

"My corneas are burning."

"Stop kidding around. Doesn't it make you feel like you are at some tropical resort?"

"Yeah, in a country where everyone is colorblind. What do you call these colors?"

"Coral sunset and deep swimming pool."

Foreman only saw a bright peachy pink on two opposing walls, followed by an ambiguous greenish blue on the other two. Actually, that last color matched Chase's eyes. It looked good on Chase, but not on his wall. He felt he only had one option. He walked over to his precious mini bar and poured something stiff.

"I know it is a shock at first, but give yourself time to get used to it."

Foreman did another visual scan of the room and then swallowed his drink in one gulp. He spoke with gruff voice that came from the alcohol hitting his throat. "It looks better already."

-----------------------

Wilson and House stood side by side, heads tilted to the left, and eyes confounded and a general squeamish flinch as they watched the unannounced freak show.

"She's really tearing into that thing. Has she come up for air?"

Wilson shrugged, too speechless to answer.

Foreman entered, unable to avoid spotting the strangely positioned men from behind. He had only been away for a day and a half and everything was just as outlandish as when he left. He thought about turning around and going back, but curiosity got the better of him. He came over and took a peek in the space between them, catching his own glimpse of the spectacle.

"She got a Big Momma for lunch I see." Foreman remembered Cameron's last run in with the unusually large sandwich.

"She's eating for 10." House replied.

"Her cravings for subs have been the only thing getting her to eat. Meatball must be the favorite."

"How is it that she hasn't gained an ounce?" Wilson asked as she stuffed in another bite.

"Nobody get your hands near her while she's eating." House warned.

Cuddy came into the room unsure as to what had all the three men lined up. "What the...?"

"Shh. House told her. Never startle the bears during feeding."

Cuddy glanced into the conference room to see what he was talking about. Even she was quite stunned. "Wow."

"See what you are missing out on. Pregnancy isn't so cool after all."

Cuddy handed House a folder. "These are resumes. Have Cameron set up a meeting time with each one of them to meet with you. Tell her not to laugh or cry."

"Resumes?" Asked Wilson.

"It's her idea. I say we are doing just fine."

"No," said Foreman, "you are doing just fine. Me, I'd like to remind my wife she has a husband that's still alive every once in a while and that she can't remodel our home without my input."

The others all looked at him strangely. House shook his head, obviously suffering from TMI. "Would it make a difference? Even when you are there she thinks you are dead."

"House..." Cuddy was tired of the distraction.

"Fine, I'll have Cameron do it once she's finished gorging for her and that mutant growing inside. Anyway, she's due any moment for her daily bitching at Chase."

Sure enough, at that moment, Cameron's cell phone went off. House got all giggly. "Here, you've got to listen to this."

"Yes, my day is going well…I'm so glad you called to check on me…I love you too, and I miss you." They heard her deliver kisses into the phone.

A now disturbed House could easily predict what would happen next. "Okay, that was enough to completely freak out Chase so he will be here stopping by here sometime in the near future. I better hide this." He threw the folder into his drawer. "It would be rude of me to find Chase's replacement while Chase is here."

"He'll adjust. She's scheduling those interviews. I'm watching you for tricks." Cuddy made sure he got an ultra stern look before leaving.

"Who me?" House said faking innocence. Foreman and Wilson raised their eyes and went about their business.

----------------------

Chase couldn't avoid laughing as his former mentor sat hunched over at his desk, reading glasses perched loosely on his nose, leafing through a file of papers that obviously came from Cuddy. "Resumes? You finally going to hire someone?"

"Your bat shit crazy wife will be back soon. She's gone to get her medically required pre-mid afternoon post-lunch but before pre-dinner meal. Either that or it's a bathroom break. I can't keep track anymore. Maybe it would be best if you wait outside. You aren't supposed to see this."

"I can help. You hate this stuff and you really ought to hire someone soon. Get them in before the merger."

"We don't need help and what merger?"

Chase sat down, showing some disappointment that House would plead unawareness with him. "Please, you know how I am with gossip. When diagnostics for the entire network is combined in one giant umbrella, we will need help. Once the positions are filled and funded, they are safe from any re-organizations. I'm overworked and have no help, so is Foreman, so is Allison, when she is able to actually work."

"They are only negotiating."

"Sources from my side say it's a done deal. Final approval will come from both boards pretty soon."

House paused, wondering how his information was so off. Oh, that's right, Jimmy isn't allowed to tell him this stuff since he's on the board. Other sources are iffy at best. He handed over half the packet of resumes to Chase. "Give preference to the Indian doctors. I recently learned their language and want to work on my dialect."


	9. Strange Behavior, part 2

**a/n: I want to thank everyone for all your wonderful comments. I'm sorry I cannot personally reply to the ones I've gotten in the last few days since the bot doesn't seem to be working again, but your comments are well received and I shall send my personal thanks when things are back to normal. Anyway, here is part 2. I think you'll like it.**

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"So what's so important?" Chase knew it couldn't be too vital since Foreman arranged to meet alone at the bar. Still, there was a bit of urgency in his voice. Something had to be up because his friend looked like a stressed out mess.

"Between our crazy wives and our tyrannical bosses, our lives are pure hell."

Chase sat down somewhat resignedly and ordered the same stiff drink his friend was having. "Wow, thanks for telling me something I was so not totally aware of."

Foreman wasn't really in the mood for sarcasm. "That's the difference between you and me. You just take what's dished out to you and don't believe you have the power to change it. I believe that no one should have to put up with this crap too long."

Chase was pretty much confused now, but that wasn't much of a stretch given the grueling day he just had. "Okay, now you've completely lost me."

"Have you considered that if maybe we got to spend time with our wives that they wouldn't go completely nuts on us?"

"Aside from you again stating the obvious, I'm still not getting it."

"We need to take control of the situation."

"Control? Does that exist?"

Foreman leaned back, not at all surprised that this talk would blow right past Chase. "Stop being so hopeless. There have always been options. You have a green card now, so you aren't limited in your choices anymore. We need leverage."

Chase managed enough of a blank stare to urge Foreman to just get to the point.

"Private practice." Foreman blurted out.

Now something registered. Chase's startled expression clearly indicated he didn't see that coming. "What?"

"We start our own practice, or at least threaten to. We need to show these hospitals we are willing to give them some competition. We have racked up enough experience, and we give people an alternative to dealing with the difficult and often busy Dr. House."

Chase gazed at him with perplexed wonder, trying hard to absorb the idea. He honestly in a million years never considered going into any private practice, let alone one that he would be part of starting. "Did you hear the merger talk?"

"Yes. It's been on and off for the last year, but it seems lately to be heating up again."

"It's for real and sounds like it is pretty much a done deal. The questions now are when and how."

"Then we need a private practice threat more than ever."

"How so?"

"You think after the merger they are going to improve things? They will combine the two departments and we would be expected to service both hospitals with no new help. It's all about cost cutting."

"It may not happen that way."

"All the more reason for a backup plan just in case it does go badly for us. All I'm asking is that we seriously consider it. We don't have to go that far unless we are forced to."

Chase still had too many questions. There was still some missing logic in his reasoning. "Why both of us? Why can't you do this on your own? You'd be good at it."

Foreman lowered his head while getting the most strained look on his face. What he was about to say was one of the most difficult things he ever had to do. "I can't believe I'm admitting this, but I can't start a diagnostic specialty practice without you. Your reputation is better and you would add instant name recognition. This is the only time that I'll admit you are a better doctor with diagnostics than I am."

Chase smiled and tried not to rub it in, even though the opportunity was too good. "That killed you, didn't it?"

"Yep." Foreman admitted ashamedly.

"I'm still not sure."

"Think about it. We would be getting our lives back. We wouldn't be so blindsided all the time by what our wives are doing. Come on, you are going to be a father. You are going to need time to spend with your family and doing work on your house."

"My house?"

Foreman couldn't believe how naïve his friend was being. "You know, the new house you are going to have to buy. Three bedrooms, a yard, a neighborhood with other kids and other parents to setup play dates with."

"Play dates?"

"Are you sure you didn't grow up in a third world country? Haven't you studied the American Dream?"

Chase took in a deep breath and then another drink, giving his mind a few seconds to process all that had been thrown at him. "It sounds like you have thought things through."

"Given the miracles our team has pulled off the last three years, I think people would be beating down our door. The possibilities are endless. We could do consulting for hospitals around the country."

Chase frowned. "I'd rather work with patients."

"No problem. It's your practice, you don't have to force yourself to go outside your comfort zone."

Chase shook his head. "This very idea goes out my comfort zone. What about Allison?"

"She can join us if she wants. Do you think she will want to work after having the baby?"

"It hasn't come up yet."

"It hasn't come up? Don't you guys know about communication? Never mind, I don't want to know. If anything, we start some rumors. It gives us a bargaining chip so they stop pushing us around and think kindly of us when this merger does go through."

Chase could actually see the logic in that plan. "House will see through it."

"House won't rat us out. At this point, he wouldn't mind a little competition taking his work away. He is still too tenured to be fired."

Chase smiled. "Okay, I'll go along with the threat idea, but I'm still not committing to the actual idea of going into private practice if we had to."

"The hours are Monday through Friday 7:00 to 5:00 with Wednesday afternoons off."

"I'm in."

--------------------

_I'll never make it to work this morning. I look like hell!_ Cuddy was horrified by ghostly reflection in the mirror. Getting up this morning was an intense challenge in itself, how was getting ready going to be any easier?

She hadn't taken a sick day in years. She felt weak, tired, flushed, and a little dizzy. None of that would normally deter her. So why today? Because something else was wrong. She thought as a doctor she'd be able to pinpoint it, but she never felt this way before.

Self diagnosis was a ritual doctors wisely avoided. Often times they were wrong because objectivity was lost. Whatever her problem, she would have to get over it and make her way into work.

"You look like hell." The voice told her as she made it through the hospital entrance.

"Thanks Brenda. Your nursing skills are top notch. Did House actually report to the clinic today?"

"Nope, he and Dr. Foreman had some more tests to run on their patient. Dr. Cameron is there right now."

Cuddy buried her head in her hand, so not wanting to deal with strife today. "Fine, let me know if there is trouble. I'll be in my office."

She closed her door, closed the blinds and instantly stretched out on the couch. She was useless to anyone without a nap first.

-------------------------

"Lisa?" She heard her name called right at the time she felt her shoulder being shaken. She slowly emerged from her haze to see Dr. Wilson hovering over her with a troubled look on his face.

"I'm sorry, I must have fallen asleep."

"It was a pretty deep sleep then. Between knocking on the door and me nudging you, it took about five minutes."

"What do you need?"

"You are 15 minutes late for a meeting in the board room."

She jumped up. "Shit, I really have to be there. Thanks."

As she tried to race off Dr. Wilson grabbed her arm. He noticed how she winced when he hit a tender spot. "When you are done, stop by and see me. Someone needs to look at you."

"I'm fine, just a little tired, that's all."

"Then it will go quickly."

She tried to argue but he cut her off as soon as her mouth opened. "If you don't, I'll get House involved."

She frowned and pulled away her arm. "Threat taken. I'll be a few hours so I'll find you when I'm done."

He smiled. "I love it when you see reason."

She scowled and headed off to her meeting. If she couldn't fool Wilson about how crappy she felt, she wouldn't be able to fool House. Maybe a checkup would be for the best.

-------------------

Lucky for Cuddy, Wilson was already in the clinic when she tried to find him. A quick exam and she could get on with the rest of her day. She was already feeling much better so it shouldn't take too long.

Wilson flashed the light pen in her eyes revealing nothing. He found her heart rate was slight elevated as well as blood pressure, but that could have easily come from the stress in her day. The part was unusual to him was the slightly tender spot under her arm, more specifically near her lymph node. It didn't bother him too much though. That type of tenderness was usually due to a swollen breast which was a typical hormonal response for a woman her age.

"I'm going to take a blood sample, and you will be all set. It looks like all you really need is some rest. Leave work on time today."

"I can't. I have departmental budget plans I need to review."

"The merger stuff will be here tomorrow."

She knew she didn't have to hide anything from Wilson regarding hospital business. "You haven't told House anything, have you?"

He stretched out her arm and swabbed it with alcohol, then prepared to insert the needle. "You know I never discuss board business with House. He has plenty of other sources than me."

She nodded. "Yeah, I know that. I had to check though. Thanks for being concerned about me, but I'm sure everything will check out fine."

"Yep, me too." He said pulling out the needle with the loaded vial and placed a bandage on her arm. "I'll let you know the results when I get them."

---------------------

Wilson had the strangest look on his face when he entered Cuddy's office with a set of lab results tightly clenched in his hand. He found something worthy of a House diagnosis reveal and couldn't wait to share his find.

"Something's wrong." Cuddy said rather alarmed. "Are those my blood tests?"

"Yep. But you don't get to see them until you answer a few questions. Were you experiencing periomenopause?"

Cuddy looked awful guilty. "It was suspected, yes. That was why the last fertility treatment was the last. They can't tell anymore when ovulation would actually occur."

"So, the last implant ended up happening in a non-ovulation cycle."

"Yes."

"The swollen lymph node, tender breasts, and hormone count in the blood all confirm you're hormonally imbalanced, but my initial diagnosis of perimenopause surprisingly isn't causing it."

"What is then?"

Wilson smiled and handed her the file. "You're pregnant."

Cuddy gaped shockingly at the positive result hitting her in the face as it lay on her desk. Words escaped her. "How could this be?" She stammered.

Wilson's self-satisfied grin knew he had her cornered. He was dying to know how she would explain this one. "Simple, you had an ovulation cycle after the egg implant failed. It's either Immaculate Conception, or you had sex."

"I, uh...hell we both know it's not Immaculate Conception."

"I won't pry." His smile didn't subside though.

Cuddy ashamedly gave up the farm. "It's House's, okay?"

"I knew it!" Despite his suspicions, he still found her admittance stunning. Not less amusing, but still stunning. "So, are you two serious?"

"It happened the night I got the negative result. I was feeling vulnerable and after all he did to behave on our date."

"After all these years and you finally caved in?"

"I know," she said unhappy with herself. "I don't know what I was thinking. I figured he earned a reward. It was a one-night thing only. I've turned him down for any future dates."

Wilson slowly sank in the chair because he started chuckling too hard. "House, reproducing? I'm scared."

"Don't tell him anything. My hormonal imbalance makes this a high risk pregnancy that most likely will not carry to full term."

"That's necessarily not true. The body knows when something happens naturally and when it is being forced."

"There is no scientific proof of that."

"He's going to figure it out." Wilson warned.

"I'll have to be careful and be a very good actress."

Wilson scoffed. "That's what Cameron said. It didn't work for her."

Cuddy gave him her pleading eyes. "Please, he can't know yet."

Wilson got up, knowing when it was time to quit. "Your secret is safe with me. Don't kid yourself though, and I can only protect you so far."

"Thanks James. I owe you."

"Go home and get that rest like I ordered."

"I will. I promise."

Wilson left the office with his mind far more blown than what he anticipated. This pretty much confirmed it. Everyone had gone completely insane around him.

--------------------------------------

Chase didn't even want to look at what he could or could not expect from his wife this evening. The entire judging her mood experiment was just about declared the failure it was doomed to be. As he thought, she was just too unpredictable. He was surprised it went into week 12 of the pregnancy. Allison seemed calm and pleasant when he talked to her earlier in the day, so he was guessing the mood was either horny or mad as hell. He was ready for either.

He opened the front door and saw no sign of her. The light was on, so she must be home. "Allison?" He cautiously asked, not wanting to be surprised by being on the other end of whatever she was dishing out. He tiptoed into the bedroom and found no sign of life there either, but then heard a rustling noise emanating from the closet. He warily poked his head in with a flash in his mind of something being horribly wrong. All fears were alleviated when he was hit by a flying pair of pants.

"Allison?"

"Why did I insist on wearing such form fitting clothes all the time?" She kept digging through her entire wardrobe, sending items flying that would not pass the new maternity guidelines. The closet looked like it had been battered by a natural disaster. In some ways, it had.

"You having trouble fitting into your clothes now?"

"Just around the waist. That and my boobs are growing into a pair of large rocks, so I guess my button up shirts aren't working either. Plus my bras are too tight. Plus my panties are crawling up my butt." She stopped her tantrum as the hopelessness of the situation hit her hard. She dropped to her knees somberly defeated.

Chase tried very hard to show her a sympathetic face as he knelt down and took her hand, but he couldn't avoid letting a big smile loose. "I'm sure you can wear scrubs until you can get some new clothes. Think of it this way. You will get to buy a whole new wardrobe."

"They are fat clothes. I've never had to wear anything that hid my petite waistline."

"Your boobs are bigger. That will get people's attention."

Somehow she took little comfort in that observation. "Nursing bras are ugly. I'll be wearing something that appeals stylistically to my grandmother."

"It's wintertime. No one is going to notice an ugly bra underneath a nice tight sweater."

"So now you want me to show off to people? Whose side are you on anyway?"

Chase should have seen that train wreck coming. He couldn't win, no matter what. "As long as I get to see you naked, I'm on whatever side you want me to be."

Cameron sneered. "You can't mean that. One look at this grotesque stretch marked belly will have you running away screaming. We will have to remove all reflective items from the house."

Chase pulled her chin up just enough where he could firmly look her in the eye. "You are not going to get ugly. This baby is only going to make you more striking. Once I see that bulging middle get bigger with each week, I'll become more and more excited and find you more beautiful than ever. That is our child in there. That isn't ugly. That is a freaking miracle."

Cameron blushed when she realized that he was right. That bulge would become more engaging as it grew. She remembered how beautiful that tiny little creature the size of a pea looked inside of her. On the outside, it should look even better. "You're right. I'm sorry. I'll never stop to be scared by the changes a little."

He pulled her in closely and sat comfortably on the closet floor. "Don't worry. Take Pamela shopping with you. Make it fun. You know she'll tell you when something is outright ugly. There has to be something out there that will be flattering."

They sat there peacefully for several minutes in each others arms, both drawing strength from one another for whatever was plaguing them. Things had been piling up lately. "Robert, we are almost through the first trimester."

"I know. It was touch and go there for a while."

"I guess the reality of this baby thing is looking more and more likely."

"The averages are getting better, yes."

She took in a large gasp, finally accepting that maybe it was time to face some realities. "We should probably start talking about things more."

"There's plenty of time for that."

"I know, but there are some ideas that are going to take a while to get used to, like what names we want."

"Names? I'm not fussy."

"I'm sure you don't want your daughters named Gertrude or Bertha or a son named Melvin."

He laughed. "Why not? They would stand out in a classroom. Why not wait until we know what sex it is?"

"You want to find out? I figured it would be a surprise."

"We are doctors. There is no way we are going to look at the ultrasound and not know exactly what the sex is."

"Good point. Okay, I guess we can put that off. How about finding a house?"

"Yeah, Foreman told me that one."

Cameron looked at him with surprise. "Funny, both House and Pamela talked to me. You don't suppose it's a conspiracy?"

"No, I just think we are a little more clueless. Do you like the idea?"

"Yes, I do."

"Foreman wants me to join him in a private practice."

Cameron sat up at full attention taken aback by what she just heard. "What??"

Chase pulled her back in and started stroking her shoulder. "Don't worry. It's only in the threat stage. You'll be hearing the rumors at work soon though."

They both took in more soothing breaths of tranquility. "This is nice that we are finally talking. You think we might want to move this from the closet floor now?"

Chase gave her a big enthusiastic smile. "I don't know, you think you can pull your big fat pregnant butt up?"

"Oh, you are so dead mister." He made it up a split second faster than her as she pursued him into the other room.

**------------------------------------------------**

**a/n: Just a quick question. Does everyone here like the format of longer chapters with less frequent updates (at least weekly) or should I be posting much shorter chapters twice a week. Just curious since I want to be consistent in my patterns. Thanks again for reading! **


	10. Strategies

**a/n: Thank you for all your feedback about my question from the last chapter. As much as I would like to accomodate larger chapters with more frequent updates, the life thing pretty much prevents that. So, I will continue with the current format, large chapters every 5 to 7 days. **

**This chapter ended up taking a turn I had no idea I was going to take. Everyone will have to tell me if you like, because I can really take this plot line far. Or I can drop it like a hot potato with one giant cop out! Anyway, happy reading and enjoy yet another bizzare fluffy twist.**

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As soon as the door opened, they had to turn their eyes fast away. They needed to protect themselves from retinal damage.

"You had us come over here just to blind us?" Chase said to Foreman as he let them in. He squinted his eyes open far enough to guide himself into the room without completely falling on his ass.

"Strangely, your eyes get used to it after a while." Foreman said while taking Cameron's arm to help her in. She was covering her eyes tightly with her right hand.

Cameron lowered her hand from her face and carefully opened her eyes to gradually take in the brightness. "So you like this?"

"Me, no. Personally these supposedly warm and relaxing colors are driving me into some type of psychosis."

Cameron now focused intently on the strange color combination. She moved glances back and forth between one of the walls and her husband's face while Foreman and Chase stared at her strangely. "It's the same color as your eyes."

"It looks great on me, but on your wall it sucks." Chase quipped to Foreman.

Pamela came in all excited as she heard the voices from the kitchen. "I see you are looking at the new changes. You like?"

Cameron plastered on the best fake smile she could muster. "It's very colorful."

"Come on in. I found out some really fantastic information. We have a full assortment Chinese takeout, a plate of goodies and plenty of drink to help us get through it all." She had all her papers on the coffee table ready for sharing.

"Uh, dear, we would be better doing this at the kitchen table." Foreman wasn't thinking of the mercy his guests when suggesting the idea. His motives were purely selfish. That room was sapping his will to live.

Pamela surprisingly agreed, liking the suggestion that the kitchen table provided more space. "Yes, that would be a better place. I'll get everything together."

"I can help you," Cameron offered wanting to get herself fast into a less overbearing environment. It wasn't good for the baby.

"So you came up with a private practice idea because you aren't man enough to tell your wife to change the wall colors?" Chase asked in a low voice so that only Foreman could hear.

"It's a strange motivator. If I ever have doubts about the practice all I need to do is look at my walls to remind me what damage this woman can do when left on her own."

Chase laughed, actually finding reason in that warped logic.

"Wait until you see what she has to say. It isn't so far fetched. In the meantime, I found a glass of stiff whiskey helps with the colors."

Chase saw Foreman heading to the mini-bar. "Start pouring, my head is about to explode."

---------------------

"Being acquired by Trinity can be equated in experience to being assimilated by the Borg." Pamela told the group professionally as she passed out her packets of neatly grouped information.

"Resistance is futile?" Chase asked trying to grasp the reference.

"They come in, disassemble everything, assemble it to fit their machinery and then suck the humanity out of you in the process. In the end, you are a mindless drone."

"It can't be that bad." Cameron didn't want to believe the worst.

"They're efficient and all about bottom line. They are likely to treat Princeton Plainsboro a differently since it is a teaching hospital loaded with grant money, but the changes will be noticeable because departments will be expected to be self sustaining. As for Princeton General..." she paused to shutter, "...what they've done to the other public hospitals they've taken over is pure carnage."

"This is pure speculation, right?" Chase asked while skimming over more of the notes.

"Predictions based on the fact that they've followed the same MO with the last 10 hospitals they've acquired."

"Okay, bottom line, how does this affect us?" Foreman didn't care for the ghost story tactics that were happening.

"You and Allison would be gone. You both have done your time, so they would bring in a fresh new set of fellows for less money, assuming they even want to carry on the fellowship program. House doesn't have a lot of friends in his corner in that regards. Where it gets exciting is with Robert's situation." She stopped and eyed her audience for a reaction.

They all looked at her with pleading yet annoyed eyes, telling her to stop leaving them hanging.

"Sorry, I do so love building suspense. Robert, your attending position is considered because of billing purposes a hospital owned diagnostic practice, correct?"

"Yes, it is." Chase confirmed.

"If you read the article I attached in your packets, they are coming into the hospitals and encouraging hospital owned practices to go private. They are even going as far as waiving non-compete clauses and welcoming these practices with open arms into their physician based referral network."

"Why are they doing that?" Cameron asked.

"Money. The article says that hospitals can't run these practices efficiently. They lose thousands of dollars per year on one practice, where a team of doctors can make thousands of dollars per year profit taking the practice private. With diagnostics, the patient will need to be hospitalized or tested so the hospital gets the business while the doctors get their fee. It's win-win."

Cameron started scanning the article. "There is no such thing as a straight win-win. There has to be a downside."

"A private practice is a self sustained business. Accounts receivable would now be the responsibility of the practice, contracts with all insurance carriers would have to be negotiated, malpractice risk is greater which requires a better liability shield, plus getting started will be a bumpy ride because of leasing and equipment purchases. There are many legal and financial ramifications to consider when getting started."

Cameron and Chase looked very unnerved by those aspects, while Foreman just smiled. "It sounds like we need a tough as nails administrator with a flare for contract negotiation and business management."

Pamela coyly stretched out her hand and admired her recent manicure. "Really, who could that be?"

"You would do that for us?" Chase asked still wide-eyed and overwhelmed by all the info.

"Us nothing. This right now is all about you. The key to all this is negotiating the disengagement of your practice. Once that's established, these two can join you at anytime."

"So what do we do now?" Cameron asked noticing how distressed her husband was getting.

"I suggest we start negotiating soon, before the merger goes through. I'm sure Princeton General will be open to it considering they need a healthy bottom line for the new parent. This will likely be a three to six month long process. The first thing I'm going to have to do is find somewhere willing to grant a line of credit. Without financing, we go nowhere."

Chase got up unable to hear anymore. He walked into the other room without saying a word. The others watched him go with a stare of both confusion and disbelief.

"Did I upset him?" Pamela asked ashamedly.

"Nooo," Cameron said with a slight smile plastered on her face just before the smile abruptly turned into a trivial scowl. "You only freaked him out."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

Cameron grabbed her hand. "I know you didn't. I think I understand what's going on. Give me a few minutes to talk to him."

Cameron found Chase on the end of the living room couch, leaning forward with his head buried in his hands and a freshly poured drink sitting next to him. She slid next to him while putting her hand on his knee. "I guess you weren't expecting all that."

Chase lifted his face toward her. "What, that my position at the hospital can now be used as leverage in an evil corporate scheme that affects the future of all of us? No, I can't say I saw that one coming."

"I know you only reluctantly agreed because you thought that Foreman would be leading the way. So it will be you instead. What's the big deal?"

"I never wanted this. I never wanted to-" He stopped short of what was really bothering him.

"You never wanted to become your father."

Chase turned his eyes away and took a drink. "Yeah."

"So he had a well renowned practice. He was an attention seeker. You aren't like that at all. You shouldn't be holding back your talents just because you fear becoming the prestigious doctor your dad was. Your motives are genuine and your skills are invaluable."

"I never thought I would ever be in this position. I always pictured myself being the simple doctor who just quietly did his job at the hospital. Actually having to tell everyone in some marketing brochure what a skilled and accomplished physician I am, well that sounds exactly like my dad. What if this was exactly the way he started?"

"It's not how you start. It's what you do in the process. You aren't an ass like he was and you never will be."

Chase silently nodded taking all of Cameron's words in as well as a little more alcohol.

"Is that all bothering you about this? There are still some pretty scary obstacles to overcome before this becomes a reality. What about the financial risk?"

"There's none of that to worry about."

"We going to use our money?"

Chase turned to her, appalled at the mere thought. "Absolutely not. That money is going to get us a big down-payment on our new house and everything we need for the baby."

"Then what?"

"I'll go to the plan that was always there. It seems appropriate to use it in this situation."

Cameron had no idea what he was talking about, but let it go. They both stared forward for a while, using the stillness to let their minds bear the rush of thoughts and feelings spinning over all that had to be considered.

"Foreman was right."

"About what?" Cameron asked wondering where his stray thought came from.

"These wall colors aren't so bad after a few drinks."

They both broke into laughter. Cameron gave him a sweet, sincere smile. "Do what is best for you. Don't worry about the rest of us. We always have plenty of options."

He reached over with his adoring eyes and gently grasped her hand. "What affects you is my worry. We are in this together. Do you want a part of this?"

"Yes. I do. As a team of diagnostic experts out on our own, we'd kick ass."

"You can do this and handle a baby?"

"This is the best way to raise our baby. I can set my own hours and we finally have the flexibility we never have had. Maybe we can actually be there for those soccer games and/or dance recitals."

Chase gave her a reassuring smile, choked down the rest of his drink and stood up. "Then we've got to do this. Come on, I'm sure we've scared Pamela and Foreman enough now."

Cameron returned his bright smile and let him pull her up. She leaned in and softly gave him a kiss on the cheek for support before they both headed back into the kitchen.

"I'm sorry," Chase told both Pamela and Foreman as he took his prior place at the kitchen table. "I just needed a few minutes to take it all in."

"Take your time Robert. You don't need to decide this now."

"I'm in. If my hospital practice is the most beneficial strategy to make this work, then let's move forward. I trust you completely to handle all the details."

Pamela blushed in flattery. "This is a rare moment of humility for me so mark down this event." They all gave her happy faces knowing she was exactly right.

"Okay, since that moment is now over, I'll start making some calls on Monday. We need to setup some meetings with the hospital administrators, and we need to start applying for loans."

"No need for loans." Chase replied. "I know where I can find a very willing foreign investor. Someone who reaped the rewards of a very successful Australian Rheumatology practice."

"Your stepmother would do that?" Cameron was surprised that he was willing to pull that card.

"In a heartbeat. She knows my dad would have wanted it and the risk to her is very little. I can call her tomorrow."

Foreman was now wondering if they were moving a bit too fast. "Chase, we've already asked you to take a big risk by starting negotiations with the hospital. If this doesn't pan out, they will think you are unhappy and will eliminate your position. Now you want to bear the financial responsibility as well?"

"Only to start with. Trust me, you'll be asked to earn your keep when you join this practice." He flashed Foreman a stern glare, but then broke into a chuckle. Foreman began to laugh along knowing Chase could never pull off the tough guy act. "Besides, all the pressure is now on your wife. If she fails, she screws us all."

"Gee thanks." Pamela said trying to be nervous, but she was more amused instead. She gathered all her notes together and stood up. "Enough business talk. It's making all our heads spin. Let's get into the other room and start enjoying all that champagne I bought. I even got sparkling cider for you Allison."

"That was nice of you." Cameron said, even though she knew that any type of juice sparkling or not made her want to barf. Still, it was a celebration, so she would suck it up and make the most of it.

----------------------------------------------------

"Where's Dr. Foreman?" Cuddy barked as she barged into House's office without even a warning. Of course considering he had his headphones on, he did let his guard down a bit. He removed his headphones all while giving her the annoyed look of his quality time being disturbed.

"I'm not his babysitter, but if I had to fathom a guess I would say he's with a patient since he's a doctor and all."

"Foreman and Chase want to start a private practice?"

"Do they? I hadn't heard such a thing." House replied lying through his teeth. "I don't know why Cameron wouldn't be part of that too."

"Her name wasn't mentioned, but I suppose her involvement is a forgone conclusion. I'm surprised you aren't the slightest bit concerned about your subordinates out there trying to out do your brilliance."

House scoffed. "Please. They aren't even close to matching my wits even put together. They wouldn't be competition since this is a teaching hospital. If anything we would be feeding able bodied doctors to into their firm someday."

Cuddy squinted at him with deep accusation. "You only like the idea because it lessens your workload."

"Yeah, that does have a lot to do with it."

Cuddy then gasped, eyes dark with thoughts of betrayal. "You talked them into this."

"Me? No, they actually came up with this idea on their own. Although I'm sure my training on thinking outside the box influenced them somehow."

"This will affect us financially."

That was enough to break House into a rant. "Give me a break. Is the hospital budget that thin? Between the four days average per week of hospitalization and the chump change you pay me it isn't hard to break even. The fellowships come from grants. If you're worried about money just get Wilson to take in some more cancer kids. Or better yet, here's another thought. Maybe Chase and Foreman will refer their patients to this hospital? That will involve some type of relationship building. Hmm, if only we had a friendly rapport with those guys."

Cuddy sat in the opposite chair showing her indifference to his comments and a bit too much fatigue.

House smiled. "Oh, you didn't mean a negative impact. Never mind then. What's got you so tired today? Didn't take your vitamins?"

"I'm fine. This merger stuff has me putting in some long hours and is making me crazy right now."

"What merger?" House said again with his unconvincing lack of knowledge.

"Stop it. You know it was already approved yesterday. I heard the rumor mill churning outside my door this morning. The announcement will go out sometime this afternoon."

House was far from convinced over Cuddy's brush off of her fatigue and distraction of merger talk, but let her off the hook as his instinct told him this wasn't the right time. "So what do you exactly have planned for my troublemaking doctor?"

Cuddy got up. "Send Dr. Foreman to my office as soon as he is available. I need to deal with any potential situation right away."

"Yes boss." He stretched his legs up on the desk and went back to his headphones while lustily watching that rear depart his domain. He actually couldn't wait to send Foreman over to her. Foreman was a pretty worthy adversary. He would have to find a way to get in on the meeting of two pig headed opponents that were determined to get their way at all costs. All he needed was some snacks.

----------------------------------------

Foreman entered Cuddy's office with his tough 'never back down' guard up. He wasn't going to take any bullying or threats. Cuddy waived him in with the same sturdy look in her face.

As Foreman was shutting the door, an object blocked it from completely closing. It was a round wooden object resembling a cane.

"House, get out of here." Cuddy ordered.

"My employee. I need to be here as his supervisor for any reprimand you might give him."

"Dr. Foreman, it's your choice."

"He can stay." Foreman knew that the more knowledge House had of the situation, the faster it would make its way around the hospital. He needed the buzz factor right now.

"Okay, if you want it that way. House, shut the door and sit in that chair. I don't want to hear a sound from you."

House did as he was told, pretending to be all obedient while as usual being completely conceited.

Cuddy stood behind her desk peering at Foreman with arms folded and eyes blazing, ready to push her authority. "I want in."

Two collective "What??" responses rang out in the office.

"Shut up House. A private practice of the three most recent fellows to go through our diagnostics program? If you are successful then I'll have people beating down my door dripping with grant money. We will need your referrals though so we can adequately teach the next wave of fellows. My success hinges on your success, so we can help each other."

Foreman smiled, loving seeing Cuddy the strategist. He rarely got to see that side, but he knew it existed given the success of the hospital's grant programs. "If we had a practice I would make an accord, but we have complications."

"Chase?"

"Princeton General."

"I don't get it. They won't let him go private?" She looked at Foreman, who didn't want to give away too much but his expression betrayed him. "No, you are negotiating with Princeton General. That gives them the exclusive rights to the referrals. I know how this works. The cases they turn down will be the ones that don't have insurance, so those are the ones that will come our way because we absorb the cost because of our grants."

"Wow, I just have a warm fuzzy feeling over our new family." House mocked.

"It seems I'm negotiating with the wrong person. I need to be talking with my counterpart at Princeton General about options."

"What good will that do?" A puzzled Foreman asked.

"You want your practice to happen? I can pull some strings, speed up the process, work out a referral agreement or better yet see if we can buy out Dr. Chase's contract outright. Who's your practice consultant? It seems my friend and I need to setup a meeting with that person and Dr. Chase to get things rolling."

Foreman pulled out a business card and wrote a cell number on the back. He handed it to her with a proud smile. "Her name is Pamela Foreman."

House broke out in deep laughter while Foreman and Cuddy gazed at him with disdain. "Your wife? No wonder Chase went along with this risky plan."

"Thank you Dr. Foreman." Cuddy told him completely ignoring House. "I won't be allowed to talk to you anymore about this, but I'm looking forward to seeing Pamela again. Now both of you, out!"

Both men didn't hesitate to leave. Cuddy slumped behind her desk and started digging through her desk for a snack. She desperately needed to get them out of her office since she couldn't miss a snack or risk getting sick, but she couldn't either give House any clues either. She was rather proud that this latest run in with House didn't result in any suspicion. Maybe she could pull this off for a while. And maybe New Jersey will fall into the sea.


	11. A Day At The Mall

**a/n: Thanks everyone for all your comments! Since the alerts seem to be working now, hopefully I'll get to deliver some review replies soon.**

**Thanks for the show of confidence regarding the private practice angle of the story. I do plan on continuing that plot line, but it shouldn't dominate this story. I still want to deliver the right amount of fun and fluff, so this chapter attempts to get back to that. This one is a long one, so dig in! **

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"I haven't set foot in a mall in a very long time." Cameron confessed as she scarfed down a soft pretzel. Eating was the first thing on the agenda today and she couldn't resist the smell of the fresh baked item as soon as it hit her nose. She made sure to cake on some extra mustard, but the messy results were proving to be less than flattering.

"Children are supposed to get messy, not mamas." Pamela ribbed, watching in dismay at her friend's less than graceful eating skills.

"You can't eat a pretzel without lots of mustard, especially when I have to lay off the salt." Cameron stuffed in the final part, complete with mustard oozing from the corner of her mouth. Pamela quickly handed her a napkin, reeling from the disturbing image.

Cameron was told the pregnancy would get easier in second trimester and that was so far somewhat correct. She still felt sick often but aromas were becoming less and less repulsive. Actually, they were becoming more and more appealing to where all she wanted to do was eat. The triggers were strong to say the least. "Thanks for finding time from your side project to help me find a new wardrobe."

"Do I have to teach you manners? Don't talk with your mouth full." Pamela actually couldn't have been happier to be there. "It's no problem. I desperately needed a break. I've made a rule today though, no mention of the negotiations. I have a few days to recover after those intense meetings that so far have gone nowhere."

Cameron got an instant look of worry over the mention of the recent activities. Robert looked practically despondent this morning as he headed off for another weekend of work. "Yeah, Robert has been completely out of sorts lately. He's often withdrawn and tired and there's nothing I can do to fix it. Between the meetings, his ridiculous hours, and our family situation I'm afraid a nutty is right around the corner."

"I know," Pamela acknowledged sadly. "I admire how he is putting himself through this for all of us. He's tough though. This is a temporary bump."

Cameron shook off her worry, choosing to be a little more upbeat given that this was supposed to be a fun day. "At least Foreman seems to be faring a little better. His mood at work has been practically jovial."

"I think Eric was enthusiastic over the idea of me working on the business stuff so I would drop the home improvement for now. I suspect he doesn't like what I've done so far."

"No, I didn't get that impression at all." Cameron replied lying through her teeth.

"Liar." She let a sly laugh slip through. "Want to hear a confession? The wall colors are making me sick. I wasn't thrilled with them, but I needed to do something to get Eric to give me some input. Of course I would have never guessed he would respond by taking this u-turn with his career, but that's why I love him. He really can be full of surprises."

Cameron didn't have much of a chance to process Pamela's admission as the sight in front of her distracted her. She stood frozen, completely sucked in by the display that was obviously meant to entice. Pamela first looked at Cameron to see what was going on, and then stood in a trance herself when she took notice of the scene.

"Kids wear this stuff?" Cameron asked in amazement.

"No, parents make their kids wear that. The Baby Gap certainly knows how to reel you in."

Cameron found the entire idea absurd. "Those outfits are adorable, but won't they be ruined by bodily excrements in no time?"

"You Doctors with your fancy terms. It's called spit up and runny poop. That's why they want you to buy three of these things. You'll have plenty on hand for all those costume changes."

"It's like I'm a kid again dressing up my very own baby doll."

"Uh huh. Glad to see you are privy to the evil plan." Another look though and Pamela couldn't hold up her cynical front. After all, she wasn't inhuman like House. "Aw, look how cute those outfits are. How can you turn that down?"

Cameron's heart dissolved as she studied a particular ensemble. "Look at that blue checkered sweater vest, tie and dress pants. It's a mini Robert." They both got a mental picture, then started laughing hysterically.

"Can you picture father and son, side by side, dressed the same?" Pamela barely got her words out in between her gasps for air.

Cameron held her belly in pain from both the excess laughter and the recent stretching of her abdomen. "I think the baby likes it when I laugh like this. I bet it tickles." A different type of discomfort emerged next and she went through her purse, pulling out a couple of tablets in a roll and popping them into her mouth.

"More pills you need to take?"

"Antacid. Ever since I had to start eating more, the heartburn is terrible."

"That means the baby is going to have a lot of hair."

"That's a wives tale."

"Look at you and Robert. It's got hair and it's gonna be pretty too."

Cameron tried to argue that point, but really couldn't. She smiled at the idea instead. They both took another long glance at the window. Cameron tilted her head to one side, admiring another outfit. "I'm hoping for a girl actually. I really want to dress her up in that adorable laced dress with white tights and the pink Mary Janes."

"Frilly stuff? Really? I figured you'd be more contemporary."

"Doll, remember?"

Pamela grabbed her arm to move her along. "Stay away from the light. You don't need to buy that stuff. We'll make sure you register there for your shower and baby gifts."

"Shower?" Cameron's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What are you planning?"

"Who me? Nothing." Her shifty look easily revealed the blatant lie.

"Yeah, right. Don't worry, when it eventually happens, I'll pretend to be surprised."

Pamela was the one to stop in her tracks next when they found themselves in front of Sephora. She gave Cameron a huge grin. "Want a full makeover?"

"I thought we were here for maternity clothes."

"A pregnant woman must look her best, and clothes are only part of it."

Cameron shrugged. "Who can argue with that logic?" They happily entered their little toy store for women.

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Chase was supposed to have a long needed day off, but wasn't all that surprised when he got the page. Their patient was taking a turn for the worse yesterday.

"What's the status?" Chase asked the young intern from Internal Medicine that was assigned to this case. Usually on these cases he was randomly assigned an intern and maybe a nurse to help. The rest he had to do himself. Differential diagnosis sessions had gotten pretty boring by himself.

"The patient is in a coma, but stable."

Chase grabbed his temples; otherwise his hands would have been around the young intern's throat. He was uncertain as to why his day was ruined for this. He was certain that a tired state of might could easily justify homicidal thoughts. "Isn't that a development that could have been shared over the phone?"

"I figured you might want to check her vitals."

"Oh yes, I really should do that considering there is an absence in the hospital of, what are they called again, oh yeah, nurses."

The intern gave him a blank stare, obviously not picking up on the sarcasm. "Oh, I already arranged for a nurse to help you."

"Oh, then I'm all set." Chase turned away and muttered under his breath, "It looks like I picked the wrong week to quit drinking."

"Quit what?" The intern asked shocked.

Chase shook his head and headed to the patient room. The kid was so clueless he didn't even recognize a popular joke from _Airplane_. How old did that make him? He resolved to check on the patient since he was there. He was then going to go to his office and start petitioning medical schools to teach classes in common sense and pop culture references. Both were heavily required to survive in medicine.

-------

Pamela was giggling so hard she could barely stand up straight. "You look so ridiculous in that thing."

Cameron stared down at the foam strap-on that was meant to suffice for a baby at nine months term. "No one looks flattering in this thing. I dare you to try one on."

Pamela took her up on the challenge. "Okay, I can play let's pretend too." She strapped on her very own false baby.

Now Cameron was the one giggling, but she grabbed her gut again. "Ow, ow. Stop making me laugh. It hurts. Man, if it hurts at fourteen weeks like this, I can't imagine what thirty-four will be like."

Pamela wiped the tears of hysteria from her eyes and handed Cameron the first outfit to try on. Cameron slid on the black slacks and pale blue blouse stretching them both over her false front. She stopped laughing over how ridiculous she felt and stared at her reflection stunned. "This is me in five months?"

Pamela perked up with excitement. "You're adorable! The pale blue really brings out your sparkle over being a mom."

"I'm a person, not a puppy," she scowled before taking another long gaze in the mirror. Then she lightened up a bit. "It is incredible, isn't it?"

Pamela pulled out her camera phone. "Smile!" Cameron got off a smile just a split second before Pamela took the picture and started pushing some buttons.

"What are you doing?"

"Sending this to Robert."

Cameron laughed. "Oh, he'll die over it. What words are you typing?"

"You did this to me."

------------------------

Chase felt the buzz of his phone while he and a nurse were finishing with the patient. The patient was holding her own, so there wasn't much for them to do right now.

Chase's eyes grew bright and big when he saw the picture sent to him. Part of him was overjoyed, another turned on, another just blown away that this is what his wife would look like in a few short months.

The nurse noticed his intense reaction. She had never seen his face sparkle like that before. "What is it?"

"A picture of my wife."

"A dirty picture?"

Chase smiled. "No." He turned his phone around for her to see.

"You're wife is pregnant? She looks like she's due any minute. Why didn't you tell anyone?"

Chase paused, wondering why he didn't tell anyone. Maybe because there wasn't anyone to tell that needed to know. He hadn't formed friendships there like he did at PPTH. "She's only 14 weeks along. She's trying on maternity clothes."

"Congratulations. Your first?"

"Yes."

"Man, your life is going to change."

"So I've been told." Chase turned away from the nurse, typed a reply and hit send. He could only muster one word. "Wow."

-----------------------

Cameron grabbed a large shirt that was hanging in the dressing area and tossed it over to Pamela. "Your turn."

Pamela threw on the shirt over her padded middle and got very tickled over her strange appearance. "I look like I swallowed a watermelon whole."

Cameron took her turn to flash a picture while Pamela was distracted in amusement by her reflection.

"You aren't sending that to Eric, are you?"

"What do you think?" Cameron said giggling while pushing buttons on her phone. _Oh, I forgot to tell you something._ "Who knows, maybe I'll give him some ideas."

Pamela let her smile down a little, but not enough to show any type of real remorse. "Allison, I can't have children."

"Oh Pamela, I didn't know."

"It's okay. We are fine with it. I wouldn't allow myself to goof around like this if I wasn't. Eric will get a huge kick over the picture."

Sure enough, there was a quick message returned from Foreman. Cameron broke out in hysterics after reading the message.

"What does it say?"

"Did you swallow a watermelon whole?"

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Wilson didn't know how he ended up at the mall with of all people Cuddy, but she was leaving the hospital and invited him to lunch. He could hardly refuse, even if the restaurant was in such a public place. After all, they had been having lunch in the cafeteria lately, so he was sure people were already talking.

He was walking along when he glanced to his right, noticing Cuddy was no longer beside him. He turned around and saw Cuddy behind him, mesmerized by a window display. His eyes popped out of his head when he turned back and saw its contents. "Kids really don't wear this stuff you know."

"This is…sick. I can't believe anyone would actually put this on a child. Why would they want to look like adults?"

"It's the adults that want to make them look like mini adults. I'm sure the kids would be happier running around in nothing but a diaper."

Cuddy laughed. "I'm sure that would be House's choice as well."

Wilson shook off that disturbing image and they continued to examine the display further. He got a revelation and pointed. "That one dresses like Chase."

Both of them chuckled cheerfully. "All the more reason to ignore this stuff. I'd hate to think that two human beings in this world would actually dress that strangely. Anyway, I'm getting far too ahead of myself. Come on, I'm hungry."

-----------------------------------------

"Try this one next."

Cameron put on the sundress held up by two thin straps. The red floral pattern was a bit loud, but the cuteness of the style more than made up for it. Pamela looked at it with all angles, shaking her head in uncertainty. She pulled out the phone again. "I need an expert opinion."

_What do you think?_ She typed the message into the phone and sent it along with the picture. "If the man don't like it, then what we think is a moot point."

A minute later the response came through.

"We have a winner!" Pamela declared.

"What does it say?"

"Thud, floor." She noticed Cameron move onto the next item. "Ooh, you trying that lingerie next? I'm warming up the camera again."

Cameron yanked the camera phone from her hand. "There has to be some surprises involved. Besides, I can see him getting in trouble at work because his wife sent him soft porn while he was trying to treat a patient."

"That never stopped House." Cameron began to lecture her with her eyes. "Okay, I'll let you have your surprise. Don't pay too much for that though. I have a feeling it's going to get very little wear."

Cameron felt her stomach twinge and checked her watch. "Come on, we've done enough damage here. I need a snack before we move on."

"What do you have in mind?"

Cameron paused to remember what she passed at the food court, and then the strong craving hit her. "Boardwalk fries, pizza and Haagen Dazs."

---------------------------------------

Chase wearily headed back to his office, hoping that he would finally get some time to unwind. His office was small and lacked a window, but Princeton General wasn't all glass like PPTH, so he could hide easily by just shutting his door. He wanted to hide away and never be seen again. Or at least until he's had some rest. The pager would assure that would never be possible.

He pulled out his phone out from his pocket as he slumped down behind his desk. He couldn't take his eyes off the first picture Pamela sent to him. It affected him way more than he thought. It wasn't just the glimpse of what was to come. It wasn't Allison's charming smile and broad eyes that were cautiously optimistic about what lied ahead. It was up until now they hadn't had time to grasp the reality of the situation. They had been going through the motions, doing all the things that expecting couples were supposed to do and not truly realizing the magnitude of what was facing them. That was a little person inside of her and it was growing fast.

He lightly brushed his thumb over the picture, feeling lucky to be married to the most beautiful woman in the world. "You're having my baby." He whispered with an excited smile.

----------------------------------------------

They stared at the grueling scene of mass chaos in front of them. Their jaws were slack, their eyes wide, their hearts filled with terror. "What is that?" Cameron asked horrified by the sight.

"It's called a play area. That is where mothers of young children let their kids loose while they stand on the sidelines with their Starbucks, trying desperately to get a fix to so they can make it through the rest of the day without losing their sanity."

"These children, they're so…uh it's…how can they be so…"

"Hyper?"

Cameron grabbed her stomach and turned a bit pale. "I think I'm going to be sick."

Pamela jumped in with concern. "Do you need your medication? You only ate a half hour ago."

"No, it's not the sickness. It's repulsion. How in the world will I ever be able to do this? I'll be sitting there, afraid of every bump and bruise that my kid could get, not to mention the plethora of germs and bacteria the other kids are smearing all over those surfaces. How will my kid ever survive?"

Pamela put her hands on her hips, not at all impressed with the paranoia. "How did you survive? Back in our childhood there was no such things as car seats and bicycle helmets and playgrounds were on the hard cement. Those play areas are made of soft plastic. They are safer than anything we ever had."

"So our generation has grown more fearful? Now I'm really scared."

Pamela laughed. "Fear is the heart of love."

"What exactly does that saying mean, anyway? I never got it."

Pamela didn't have a chance to respond as they heard the intense screaming of a small child just to the right of them. They looked over to see a three-year-old girl who had fallen off the play horse she climbed on. She was holding her elbow. The mother had rushed over and picked up her child, but was still rather frantic about the pain the girl was in. The security guard had come over to help, but didn't know what to do.

"I'm a doctor." Cameron said rushing over to the woman and the crying child. "Can I look at it?" she asked the child with her warm and gentle face.

The worried mother nodded, while the child looked at her hopefully with her large blue watery eyes. Cameron moved the elbow ever so slightly and the child let out a little scream. "It's slightly dislocated. I can easily fix it." She gave the child a sweet reassuring glance. "Ow, then it's over, okay?"

The girl nodded and Cameron gave the elbow a little tug. The child let out a small yelp, but then let a huge smile burst through her wall of tears when she realized the pain had gone away.

"All better?" Cameron asked. The little girl gave her a timid nod and buried her face in her mother's shoulder. Cameron tried to reassure the mother. "You may have to put some ice on it if there is swelling, but otherwise she will be fine."

"Thank you so much," the woman said clutching onto her little girl for dear life. "I'm so glad you were here."

"No problem." Cameron gave a huge smile to the child. "Bye sweetie."

The child broke from her mother's comfort, reached out and gave Cameron a big hug. Cameron felt just about every bit of her heart melt inside. When the hug was broken, they went their separate ways. Cameron let a few tears well up in her eyes once they were a few steps clear of the area.

Pamela smiled sweetly at Cameron. "Motherly instincts. Check. Able to emotionally connect with small children. Check. Sucked in by a cute little face. Check."

"I get it. I'll stop worrying now." Cameron stopped in her tracks and twitched her nose upward, taking in the irresistible scent. "Ooh, Cinnabon."

Pamela reluctantly went along, not being able to resist the idea of that luscious, rich, sugary, and extremely fattening baked good melt in her mouth. "I thought you were the one that was supposed to gain weight."

------------------------------------

"So, have you been feeling alright?"

Cuddy smiled, actually touched by his simple concern. "Actually, I've been great. I get tired a little quicker, but as long as I keep eating all right I haven't been getting sick at all. The cravings aren't even bad."

"You're only six weeks along. It's still pretty early for all the symptoms to be hitting. You look wonderful by the way." Wilson's sincere smile while delivering the compliment was hard to resist.

Cuddy shyly smiled in return. "Luckily you're the only one to notice. I'm shocked I've still been able to keep House in the dark."

"Don't worry about him Lisa. So what if he figures it out? You know he won't want to play a role in this time of your life."

"No, he'll just harass me silly so he can stay amused. Anyway, it's still too early to talk about it. Things could still go very wrong."

Pamela stopped in front of the seafood restaurant, taking in the delightful smell of whatever was cooking. She looked at Cameron, baffled as to why she wasn't going for another chance to stuff her face.

"Sorry, seafood is one of those smells that still makes me want to puke. I also have to watch seafood and fish because apparently the trace amounts of mercury are dangerous to expecting mothers-"

Cameron let the last words fade as she stared into the restaurant trying to verify if she was seeing correctly. As soon as she realized it was who she thought it was, she covered her mouth with her hand trying to hide the laughter.

"What do you see?"

"That's Dr. Wilson and Dr. Cuddy. Seem a little cozy, don't they?"

Pamela looked real hard, and then got the same smirk. "Why yes it is. Should we go say hello?"

"We can't do that."

"If they didn't want to be seen, they shouldn't have gone into a public place."

Cameron again couldn't find any fault in her logic. "Okay, why not?"

------------------------

Cameron barely had enough energy to get the key in the door. Shop until you drop wasn't so hard for a woman in her condition. As soon as she closed the door and put down the bags, she felt arms wrap around her from behind. A chin gently rested on her left shoulder. "You scared me. I'm surprised your home."

"The patient is in a coma. I told them to only call me if she dies." Chase still held onto her for dear life, not wanting to ever let her go.

"Robert, is something wrong?"

"No, everything is right now." He let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Come on, I'm supposed to be the emotional one."

He pulled his hands down to her abdomen and cupped them over the slight and firm protrusion. She couldn't avoid closing her eyes and smiling in sheer comfort over him holding their baby. She felt a couple drops of moisture run down her left cheek, but it took a few seconds for her to realize they came from his and not her eye. They lost themselves for several minutes treasuring this complete family moment.

"Are you going to tell me what is wrong now?"

Chase broke his hold and led her over to the couch, all while wiping his eyes with his hand. "I'm just exhausted, that's all. Physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. I saw that picture and you were stunning. It reminded me of my priorities. We are having a baby and right now that is all that matters. Everything else is crap."

Cameron gingerly took his hand and intertwined her fingers with his. "We're in this together. We'll get through. I'm really tired too. How about we curl up tightly in our bed and sleep the troubles away?"

Chase leaned over, lifted up her shirt, pulled her waistband down slightly and softly brushed his lips against her bare solid abdomen. "Care to give this baby some gentle rocking first? I'm sure we'll all sleep better that way."

She leaned forward and kissed him ardently, loving the sweet sentiment used over what was basically an invitation to sex. "We can try gentle rocking. Usually we are giving it a roller coaster ride."


	12. Scratching An Itch

From the second he got up this morning, House had this overbearing itch and knew a great deal of effort today would be required to scratch it. Over and over again. He hadn't felt this mischievous for a while, so today he was going to make up for it in spades.

First stop logically had to be Cuddy's office. He needed a basic warm up and pushing her buttons was the ticket. He performed his usual abrupt entrance and sat down, waiting with deep impatience for her to look up from her work and say something antagonistic.

After feeling House's deep glare pierce through her to the point where she could no longer ignore it, she gave in. "Just make your point House. I'm in meetings all day today."

"Cameron said she saw you and Wilson having lunch at the mall."

"And you aren't pestering Wilson over this because…"

"Because teasing you is more fun. She said you were looking pretty cozy."

"No she didn't."

"Okay, no, she didn't. She did say she had a nice chat with you both."

"It was a two minute hello. She mainly told us about her shopping for maternity clothes, which is something I brought up because of the large number of bags from maternity shops in her hand."

"That doesn't mean you weren't getting all friendly with Wilson. Come on, what charming stories did he tell you to get you to swoon all over him?"

"Not that its any of your business, but we mostly talked about what we always talk about, hospital stuff. There was also a disturbing image brought up about you running around wearing nothing but a diaper, but we won't go into that."

House smiled at her attempt to render him speechless. "I knew Wilson would share my secret fetish."

"Very funny. Now, was that all you wanted?"

"Nope."

"Well, get on with it."

"The negotiations are going too slow. Can't you use that killer instinct of yours to speed things up?"

Cuddy let out a deep sigh. She didn't have time for this, but if she didn't address his nosiness he would never go away. "These things take time, and considering it has little impact on you it's none of your concern."

"If it means I'm losing my two remaining fellows and needing the hire a whole new team, it is my business."

Cuddy actually couldn't argue with that point. "Fine, yes, THC is dragging their feet and Princeton General isn't bending. I'm not able to get anywhere, and neither is Pamela."

"Why are they dragging their feet? Diagnostics is not a money maker by a long shot."

"It's lipstick on a pig. It makes all the ugliness of the bottom line look very pretty when they see the statistics in terms of lives saved. It's a big sell to investors and donors."

"Ah, I see, they are reluctant to let it go because they don't want to share the prestige."

"Yep. This would all be so much easier if Dr. Chase wasn't so damn good at his job."

House gave a quick nod and got up, deciding he had enough of this conversation.

"I know that look," Cuddy chided suspiciously. "You're up to something. First sign of trouble and you'll be joining your fellows in private practice."

House got up and opened Cuddy's door. "Help, help, I'm being repressed!" he shouted out to the general open area.

"Since you've finally realized that this an autocracy and I'm supreme ruler, now you can go do your job." Cuddy wasn't taking any of his crap today.

House left with a smile and a feeling of satisfaction that his quest had been fulfilled. Cuddy put her head down on her desk. Now she couldn't finish her paperwork for sure. Her mind started running wild over all the possible scenarios that a scheming House could pursue just to make her life miserable.

--------------------------------------------

Cameron came back from the trip to the bathroom. Her doctor was right about one thing. The trips were less frequent in the second trimester. They still happened more than if she wasn't pregnant, but at least it could be worse. She sat down at the conference table to continue where she left off. Files were scattered about the table and she was ready to check out the new lab results. She looked down though and found something was missing.

"Missing something?" Foreman asked from the desk when he saw her looking all around.

"The lab results, they were right here. So was my pen."

"You sure you placed them there?"

"I'm positive." She frantically started leafing through each paper, hoping they got mixed in between.

"You must have put them somewhere. Let's face it, you've been a little forgetful lately."

"No, no, they were right here. I swear."

"Someone just handed me these," said a familiar voice coming from behind. House limped toward her. "They were found in the ladies room." He gave her the missing lab results and pen.

Cameron was shocked, not recalling at all taking those with her. "Sorry, it must be this pregnancy fog thing."

"Be careful, we have confidentiality to protect." Cameron nodded and continued with her study of the files.

House passed by Foreman and they shared a silent snicker before going about their business without another word.

------------------------------------------

Chase looked at the number calling his cell phone. He didn't recognize it, but for some reason he was feeling adventurous. He had no reason to screen calls this morning.

"Uh, yes, is this Dr. Chase?" asked the remote voice.

"Yes."

"I was given your name and cell number by Greg House. My name is Bonnie Wilson. He said you were in the market for a realtor."

Chase grabbed the back of his neck, wondering what House was up to this time. "Uh, I suppose so. Did you say your name was Wilson? Any relation to-?"

"Second ex-wife. You are in luck, because I just got my realtor license and I am taking new clients."

"Oh…great," Chase said half-heartedly. He was so getting House for this.

"Is there a time we can get together?"

"I will need to talk with my wife. She works for House. It actually might be better to work through her. She's the decision maker." He knew Allison was going to kill him for that, but he had too much on his plate already.

"Maybe I'll stop by and introduce myself to her then. I have some personal business with James anyway."

"Great, my wife's name is Allison. I'm sure she'll be pleased to meet you." Chase fought back every urge to snicker even though he was setting himself up for big trouble.

"Thanks, you won't be sorry. I'll talk with you later Dr. Chase."

Chase closed his phone and felt both amused and fearful. He didn't know what wrath he feared worse, the pushy realtor or his angry wife. He would just have to deal with that later. Right now, he could laugh about it.

--------------------------------

Cameron came in wondering where in the world she misplaced her stethoscope. She could have sworn it was in her lab coat, but as she went to check the patient it was gone.

"What are you missing this time? Need some help scatterbrain?" House shouted from his office, noticing the search.

"No, got it." She said pouting as she spotted it sitting by the coffee pot. Strange, she hadn't been getting coffee lately. Why would she leave it there?

Wilson walked in right as a dazed was Cameron leaving. "She looks confused and mad."

"She keeps misplacing things."

"Pregnant women are supposed to be a little forgetful."

"Yeah and it gets worse when her boss and co-worker keep moving things on her."

Wilson couldn't avoid laughing at his friend's audacity. "She's going to figure it out and you guys will pay."

"We're already paying. Might as well have some fun while we are."

Wilson shook off his amusement, ready to get to the real reason for the visit. "I got an interesting call from Bonnie this morning."

"Bonnie?"

"You know, ex-wife number two, the one you maliciously sent over to Cameron and Chase."

House's big blue eyes lit up from his smile. He did do that, didn't he? "Oh yes. She needed help getting her real estate business started. Helping people is what I do."

"She's the worst realtor in New Jersey!"

"No wonder she divorced you. Give the girl a break, she needs a confidence booster."

"You're up to something."

House opened his mouth for the witty comeback but stopped himself. He guessed the repressed thing wouldn't work with Wilson. Too bad because it was damn good. "No, you and Cuddy are up to something."

Wilson's confused stance was pretty much the signal for House to further illuminate him.

"You two both came out of Dr. Stetson's office this morning. She having another fertility treatment? Why were you there?"

"None of your business, and none of your business."

"Come on, with you, everything is my business. You can tell me, or I can find out by being very sneaky and will feel resentment and betrayal later."

"Yes, because my most important goal here is to spare your feelings. Just let it go."

House laughed preciously. "You know that will never happen."

"Yep, but it felt good saying it." Wilson replied resignedly.

"Fine, enjoy your false sense of security right now. You know I'll find out what's going on eventually. Sadly though, I have another cause that I must stick my nose in where it doesn't belong. Tell me, what happens to the PPTH board members once the merger happens?"

"Certain members of our board will get seats on the new board."

"Do you get a seat?"

"No, that is going to be reserved for some of the more senior members. Cuddy probably will. Final approval still has to happen but I know who will be there to exert some influence for this hospital. Why are you asking this?"

House's roguish smile said it all. "I've got a plan."

---------------------------------------

Everyone waited patiently in the nearby café wondering why they yet again agreed to one of House's secret meetings. Haven't they learned by now? If there was one guarantee, it was he never ceased to surprise them with his latest schemes. This one ought to be good.

House and Wilson entered through the door, covertly wearing sunglasses so not to be recognized.

"Sorry House, but the cane and the limp are a dead giveaway." Cameron said mocking his efforts.

"Yeah, but I look pretty cool." House limped over to a whiteboard that was sitting by the entrance. He dragged it gracelessly to the set of tables where everyone was gathered, generating a loud obnoxious screeching noise in the process from the easel legs grinding against the tile floor. The small gathering of patrons throughout the restaurant stared him down in contempt over their pleasant meal being disrupted.

"Take a picture, it lasts longer." House told them childishly.

"That's the whiteboard for the lunch specials." Cameron had to point out verbally what the others already concluded.

"Duh. Okay everyone, differential for a ham on rye."

"With or without cheese and lettuce?" Chase asked getting into the spirit of things.

"Why am I here? This sounds like your doctor stuff." Pamela was not in the mood to humor House today.

"Oh, this involves you." House erased the illegible chicken scratch that passed for lunch items and wrote at the top "other options". "We're a team, and things aren't moving fast enough. We need to band together and examine alternate strategies."

Everyone threw House a glare of intense skepticism. They weren't buying the act. "You only want less work." Pamela said.

"Okay, fine, I want less work. Does it matter, because we all win in the end."

"Why is Wilson here? He's on the board, isn't that a conflict of interest?" Foreman gazed at Wilson like he was poisonous.

"Officially, we aren't talking hospital business. We're planning a lunch menu."

"So ham and rye could be a code word?" Chase added, still hung up on the sandwich thing.

"That's a perfect idea. Glad you are using your brain for once. Okay, so what passes for ham on rye?"

They all looked at each other, waiting for someone to come up with a great suggestion. "I quit?" Chase said, not really wanting to do that but since it was a differential, all ideas were accepted.

"We go out on our own without hospital support, negotiating with other health networks." Pamela jumped in now ready to play.

House wrote down, 'Grilled Cheese.'

"We use blackmail." Foreman said, not really having anything to use but since off the wall ideas were being thrown out.

House copied out, 'Tuna Salad on Wheat.'

They all turned to Cameron, waiting for her contribution. "We do nothing and stay their slaves."

House wrote down, 'Veggie wrap.'

Chase shook his head. "I'm sorry, what was the Grilled Cheese again?"

Everyone moaned. "House we are getting nowhere with this. What do you have in mind?" Foreman was tired of his time being wasted.

"All right, don't play along." House put the cap on the marker, put it down and took a seat with the others. "I actually came with a plan. Why do you think Wilson is here?"

All eyes fell on Wilson, impatiently waiting for him to just tell them what was going on. Wilson rolled his eyes, wondering how he had gotten dragged into this mess. "I have contacts with the new board of directors. A few of the PPTH members are on the new board, and one key member was just referred to me as a patient. You need to take your case to the top."

"You want us to schmooze board members?" Chase wasn't exactly well gifted with networking. Gossiping yes, networking no.

"Why would they go along with our plan?" Pamela asked. "They don't want to see their prestige go private?"

"Princeton General doesn't. PPTH would be more than happy, especially if your practice was affiliated with the hospital and even setup shop in the adjacent medical building."

"So, friendly board members can pressure Princeton General to give up their property?" Cameron asked.

"Pressure won't be needed. They won't have a choice if there's a majority. It's the classic power struggle that happens with these corporate mergers. Until then, break all negotiations off."

Pamela actually liked what she was hearing from Wilson. "I never knew you were so wicked. It's always the quiet ones that seem harmless. So what do we do now?"

"I'll start introducing everyone to board members. You have to get to know these people well. Which one of you plays golf?"

All eyes instantly fell onto Chase. "I haven't played in years."

"But you've played."

"Yes, but-"

"Okay," House jumped in. "It looks like we are all set there. Foreman, it wouldn't hurt if you learned how to play."

"I get a free pass on this one. No rich well-established white board member expects the brother from the ghetto to know how to play golf. No such out for the rich white Aussie."

Wilson shrugged, knowing that was a copout, but accepting that Foreman had a point. "I'll setup different situations for each of you to meet board members, but we first start with golf on Saturday. There are two members that have regular tee off times at the Princeton Country Club. I'll be playing too."

"I don't own any clubs." Chase said moping over the idea that a part of his day off had to be spent with yet another ridiculous ritual.

"Don't worry, I have an extra set for you to use." Wilson assured.

"I love it when a plan comes together." House said rubbing his hands in delight. He looked at the board and got a rather strange look on his face.

"What's the matter?" Cameron asked.

"I'm hungry. Who wants a sandwich?"

-------------------------------

"Dr. Chase, this is Fred Whitman and Bernard Smith." Wilson handled the formal introductions as soon as they both arrived at the clubhouse.

"Barney," One guy said correcting Wilson as he held out his hand to Chase.

"Pleased to meet you both." Chase shook hands with both men and then it hit him. "Fred and Barney? Seriously?"

They both laughed. "That does get a lot of comments around here."

Chase already couldn't remember who was Fred and who was Barney. They both were grey haired old men dressed as typical golfers in ugly hats so it was hard to tell. One of them looked Chase over while laughing. "That's quite the shirt."

Chase looked down at his bright blue, florescent green, and brilliant yellow striped polo shirt. "Thanks mate." Chase knew it probably wasn't a compliment, but he'd take it with a grain of salt.

"Mate? You from Australia?" The other guy asked.

"Yes."

"Do you know Greg Norman?"

"Nope, never met." Chase actually hadn't had that in a while. He used to get those questions all the time when he first came to the States, like it was common knowledge that all Australians knew each other. He wasn't even remotely from the same part of the country.

"Too bad. He's a great golfer. Anyway, we better get moving. Our tee time is fast approaching."

The four men moved along. At least it was bright and sunny, maybe too much so. Chase had to put on his sunglasses because he was blinded by his own shirt.

As part of tradition, the two members teed off first. They both had nice expensive drivers to compliment their nice expensive set of clubs. Those drivers looked like they were earning their price as they both were able to hit long shots about 250 yards right down the middle of the fairway. The second one to tee off, Chase still wasn't sure if it was Fred or Barney, smirked at both Wilson and Chase with a 'top that' reaction.

Wilson went next and hit a lesser shot that hooked slightly left. Not on the fairway, but not far. He issued himself a little self-congratulation for pulling off a less than disastrous shot and made room for Chase. He went up and tried his best to pretend he knew how to line up a shot. He took his practice swing and given the way he dropped his right shoulder, didn't follow through on his backswing and pushed the club hard like he held a baseball bat instead of a golf club, the others knew that his first shot wouldn't go well. Finally, he moved up toward the ball, swung, and watched his ball make contact with the front tip of the driver. The ball sailed and impressive distance sharply right, slicing directly into the woods.

The others laughed before moving on. "Looks like you are in for a long day mate."

---------------------------------------------

A hot, sweaty, and exhausted Chase fell on the couch next to Cameron as soon as he returned from the long ordeal. Not a bit of his pride was left intact. Cameron, who was stretched out on the sofa snacking on a huge bag of Sun Chips and reading a bunch of papers, laughed as soon as he fell into the sofa. "You wore that shirt? How did you not blind yourself and everyone else?"

"Ha, ha ha," Chase replied not in the mood for teasing. He was defeated, and generally miserable.

"Oh come on, was it that bad?"

"It was worse. I spent the entire day either in the trees or in the water. Talk about getting in touch with nature. Who had the great idea to put trees on a golf course anyway? Golf was invented in Scotland, right? I don't see any trees on a Scottish golf course."

"So you looked really foolish in front of the board members?"

"You mean Fred and Barney?"

Cameron busted out in laughter. "That's their names? How could you keep a straight face all day?"

"It wasn't easy. Actually I did make an impression. Anytime two older men can look like superior golfers to a young guy like me, well that makes them feel a whole lot better about themselves. We did have a good chat in the clubhouse afterward about our plans."

"You mean the nineteenth hole?"

"How do you know that?"

"I grew up near a golf course. So do we have their support?"

"Yes." Chase nodded weakly, still way too exhausted to give more of an expression than that. He noticed the papers on Cameron's hand. "What you've got there?"

"These are home listings that Bonnie got for us. I think she pulled up every single home for sale in New Jersey. It's hard to choose. They all start to look the same after a while."

"We ready to start looking now?"

"She said we should get started early. Depending on how picky we are, the entire process could take as long as six months."

"Great, something else to deal with. You aren't mad that I stuck this task on you?"

"I was until you were forced to go golfing. I definitely got the better end of the deal."

Cameron stopped talking as soon as her cell phone went off. "It's a message from House." Since House never worked on Saturday, she deemed it to be important. Any serious concern in her face quickly disappeared once she saw the message. She broke into another fit of laughter.

Chase grabbed the phone from her hand and was not as humored by the picture sent as his wife. The grainy photo showed him on the golf course, looking agitated, leaning forward over a pond trying to fish his ball out of the water with a long golf club. "I knew that sneaky bastard Wilson was taking pictures."

Cameron tried to suppress her laughter, but couldn't. She grabbed her side in pain.

Chase very slowly and wincing in great pain pulled himself up off the sofa. "I'm getting in the shower. Once I'm not repulsive anymore I'm coming back to this sofa and not leaving it for the rest of the day. Maybe I can help you go through those listings once you're done mocking me."

Cameron simmered down her laughing. "There's something else we can do too." She pulled out an object from the end table drawer.

"A Fetal Doppler?"

"Being a pregnant doctor has its advantages. Dr. Ades let me borrow it knowing full well we'd know how to use it."

Chase's face lit up. "Have you tried it yet?"

"Nope. I wanted to give you first crack at it."

Any signs of wear were now completely gone from Chase. "I'll be done in five minutes." He raced into the bathroom, leaving a trail of thrown off clothes behind.

Cameron grimaced in pain again as she waited for Chase. The pain from laughing was so worth it this time.

----------------

All was still and peaceful within an hour. Chase and Cameron were on the couch, curled up tightly in each other's arms, sound asleep, their slumber enhanced by the lulling pulses emanating from the instrument's speaker. Their baby's heartbeat.

**a/n: I'm not sure why I've been partial to the sweet endings lately, but I can't help myself. Anyway, next chapter will be fun. House hunting. Thanks as usual for reading and all the wonderful comments. **


	13. House Hunting, part 1

**a/n: This is a bonus! I started writing this next chapter and once again I wrote too much. So, it's broken into two parts. This is part one so keep in mind it's just a build up for part two. The next part will be out either Monday or Wednesday, depending on how eager all of you are (and if I have time to finish the ending). Happy reading!**

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"What test are you running next?" Cameron hadn't had any blood extracted for a few weeks now. She silently cursed herself for not being able to remember what type of test happens when. After all, she is a doctor. Still, it's not like she did a lot of OB work.

"AFP test. It's standard at 16 weeks." Dr. Ades pulled the needle from her arm and quickly threw a bandage on. "Arm up."

Cameron did as instructed while pondering the implications of the latest test. "Alphafetoprotein? Isn't it susceptible to a lot of false positives?"

"Yes, but it's more of an indicator than a diagnosis. It is still the most effective way in identifying potential birth defects."

"But what happens if a defect is found? I've actually seen a few mothers deal with that agonizing decision. I'm not sure I'd be able to do anything if a problem was detected."

"That is a 'we'll cross that bridge when we come to it scenario'."

Cameron nodded. "I suppose it will give us piece of mind if the results are negative."

"I have to give you fair warning. The risks are higher with you for two reasons. First, your pregnancy was unplanned so you weren't taking folic acid or prenatal vitamins before you got pregnant. Second, we still have no real idea how Hypermesis and Phenergan affects fetal development. Studies don't show increased risk, but you can't be too careful. If the AFP levels do come back abnormal, don't panic."

Cameron nodded, realizing her doctor was right. "Okay, the test is for the best." It was so weird for her to have the shoe on the other foot. She couldn't remember how many times she gave such assurances to patients. She didn't realize until now how those words were less than comforting. Test results were the only assurance.

"You are looking really good this week. Fundal measurement is normal, which I consider strange considering you aren't quite up yet to your pre-pregnancy weight yet, but I'm not worried. Fetal heart rate is normal and the fatigue isn't as bad. How about the concentration?"

"It's good, once I figured out House and Foreman were moving things around on me."

Dr. Ades laughed, knowing that those types of pranks were pulled on pregnant women all the time. "Men co-workers can be pigs, can't they? I'm glad I work with all women."

Cameron laughed, wondering if she would ever get that someday. Women doctors in her specialty weren't as common.

"Allison, it's fine until now, but I'd like to see Robert come along on one of these visits soon. I usually like to address any questions or concerns the dad has, especially as the pregnancy progresses. I know he's a doctor, but there are always non-medical questions. He's part of this too."

"I'll tell him. His schedule is actually lightening up these days." Cameron of course didn't want to tell her the reason was because Princeton General got word he was wooing PPTH board members and wanted to make him happier. Too little too late, but they will accept the extra time off gladly.

"Okay, it should be a week before we have the labs back. I'll call you as soon as I have them."

"Thanks." Cameron watched the doctor leave and was left to realize that her mind was not exactly going to be at ease for the next week. Yes, being the patient wasn't anywhere as easy.

---------------------------

"Here we have a two bedroom, one bath two story home."

Chase and Cameron did a full circle of the main room, which didn't take very long since it wasn't that large or dynamic. Sure, they told Bonnie to just show them samples of what was out there since they had no idea what they were looking for, but the first house of the day wasn't leaving much of an impression.

"How old is it?" Cameron couldn't help but immediately notice the entire interior done in wood paneling.

Bonnie looked at her notes. "85 years old."

"Our apartment is bigger than this." Chase noticed that it couldn't even fit their sofa, let alone the wide screen TV and stand.

"Oh, but this is a charming historic home. Lots of character."

Cameron twitched her nose up in the air. "What's that smell?"

"It belonged to an elderly woman who just passed away. She liked cats."

"How many cats?"

"Twenty or so. Anyway, come look. This house actually has a basement."

They found the door at the side of the stairwell. The musty odor smacked them in the face as soon as they passed through the doorway.

"I'd prefer a basement with a floor that isn't dirt." Chase almost felt bad for having such a petty demand, but he didn't.

"Oh, they tried to pour concrete, but they can't get a sump pump installed. The water table is too high and it would burn out."

"Kind of renders the basement useless, fighting water all the time, wouldn't you think?"

"It's part of the charm. Anyway, as you can see its right across the street from the University and the school district is fantastic."

"I wouldn't make an issue about school district." Chase said. "We have time, and worse comes to worse there's always Catholic school."

Cameron's eyes bugged out of her head. "That's a joke, right?"

"What's wrong with Catholic school? I went to one and turned out great."

"Sure, if you want to count conflicted and disillusioned great. I went to a rough and tumble public school on the South Side of Chicago and I turned out fine as well."

"So, you agree then with my original point that school district isn't an issue." Chase shot back.

"Okay, I'll make a note about school district." Bonnie said smiling, not wanting to get in the middle of their little disagreement.

"How much do they want for this?" Cameron quickly moved them out of the stinky basement.

Bonnie checked her notes again. "$359,900."

"For this?" Cameron knew real estate was expensive in the area, but their apartment was bigger and cheaper. "I think we better see what else is out there."

"Okay, but I think you are passing up a real find here." Bonnie took the cue to move on judging by the less than impressed looks on Chase and Cameron's faces. She had plenty of other choices for them.

-----------------------------

"This one is a two bedroom, one bath, much like the last one. The price is reduced because it needs a little repair."

"A little?" Cameron couldn't help but notice the water damaged plaster walls, the creaky wood stairs bowing in the middle, and flooring that was so worn that she was surprised that no one had fallen into the basement yet.

"Watch out in that corner over there. The flooring is a little weak and you might fall through into the basement." Bonnie warned.

Chase looked out the crusted windows in which the wood was rotting so badly he was surprised the glass hadn't fallen out. "I don't see a yard at all."

"Nope, this is a .02 acre lot. I think it's enough for the house and the front sidewalk."

"This is smaller than the last place," Cameron noticed. "How reduced is this house?"

"$325,000. All it takes is a few repair projects and a fresh coat of paint. The Home Depot isn't very far."

"Oh yes, this is the perfect house for people with loads of free time like us. Not to mention there is plenty of play area for our child out in the street." Chase was hoping Bonnie would pick up on the sarcasm, but her blank stare left that hope doubtful.

"I'm guessing this one is a no then."

Cameron diplomatically jumped in. "Bonnie, I know we told you we really didn't know what we are looking for, but maybe we should mention now that money is not a primary concern. The most reasonable amount of house for the best price is our goal here."

"Really?" Her face lit up. "How much of a not concern?"

Her look instantly worried Chase. "We don't want anything too big. Don't show us Tony Soprano's house."

"Tony Soprano?"

"Never mind," Chase said running his hand through his hair. "No mansions."

"Okay, if money isn't an issue, there is a place a half mile from here. It should be perfect."

---------------------

The yard seemed really nice and different as they pulled into the inviting driveway. The backyard was lined by a nice and private row of trees and the landscaping was impeccable. Still, amidst all this inviting beauty, sat a rather modest and generic ranch with yellow aluminum siding.

"Three bedroom, one bath, eat in kitchen, spacious living room, all appliances and fixtures updated. The flooring is the original hardwood and has been restored to its early glory."

Cameron saw a pretty bland but somewhat acceptable home. She could tell it didn't excite Chase. Still, she wondered what would since he grew up in a mansion. "How much?"

"$699,900."

"For this?? It's so common. Shouldn't we be able to get a lot bigger for that?"

"In Princeton?" Bonnie laughed. "Heavens no. There are several other possibilities I know of if you are willing to venture outward."

"I think it would be safe to say that we are willing to venture out of the Princeton city limits. I'm guessing there are not a lot of bargains here."

"Okay, we'll move outward. That opens the door for lots more possibilities."

Chase and Cameron both stared at each other with skepticism, wondering what those possibilities could be. They weren't sure they were ready to find out.

------------------------------------

They couldn't deny that the older home was spectacular and a rare gem. Too many people had let these older and glorious estate-like homes go. The price was right, but something still wasn't quite right.

"I wanted to avoid showing you anything in the city limits of Trenton. Real estate doesn't hold its value there very well. But this one is a gem." Bonnie said, enthusiastically hoping they saw this as a diamond in the rough.

"Wow, the old wood working throughout the house is immaculate." Cameron said, trying to play along.

Chase cringed a bit. "This feels too much like my grandmother's home in Canberra. It's a bit creepy."

Cameron looked across the street to notice the gathering of a large gang of youths. "I thought you said we weren't in Trenton."

"Nope, that's across the street. Anyway, this house has a top notch security system."

"Fantastic. I'm sure it will come in handy if I never want to leave my house." Chase realized the sarcasm was again lost on his realtor.

Chase watched the foreign couple in their yard next door. Their origin seemed Indian or Pakistani. He knew from experience never to ask if they were one or the other. Asking an Indian if they were Pakistani or vice versa was like punching them in the face. "Anyone speak English around here?"

"I figured that wouldn't matter since you are a foreigner yourself."

"We do speak English in Australia."

Bonnie gave him another long perplexing stare, shook it off and went on. "Five bedroom, 3 bath, 11 rooms, three story stand alone Victorian style home with a nice yard. This was considered quite the luxurious home at the time it was built. The attic is divine."

Cameron knew it was time to provide yet another clue. "Okay, when we said that school district didn't matter, we should have told you that neighborhood does. After all, we want our child having play dates with other kids in the neighborhood."

"Play dates?" Bonnie asked all strange.

"You see, she hadn't heard of them either!" Chase was feeling rather proud of himself.

"I'll keep this one down as a maybe. Once you see the other options, you might want to come back to this one." Bonnie still tried to remain cheery, but she couldn't help but think these two were getting a little demanding.

"Yeah, we'll keep an open mind." Chase said with the fake smile, more than ready to move on.

---------------------------

"The home is perfect, and the price is right, but…"

Bonnie was at her wits end by now. How many homes did she have to show them? "But, what's the problem?"

"It's on the freeway." Cameron pointed out.

"There's a privacy wall there."

The home was plenty big, somewhat generic and common, and on the freaking Interstate! Still, Cameron felt like she had to give Bonnie a reason that wouldn't frustrate her. "The kitchen sucks."

"Come on Allison, you have to admit, watching the traffic from the upstairs bathroom window is rather mesmerizing. It's right on the off ramp." Chase felt like teasing since he was starting to get a little punchy from this day.

"Yeah, I've always wanted a home with a view. But, trucks tend to use their engine brakes on off ramps."

"Picky, picky." Chase said, happily pushing Cameron's buttons.

"Kitchen, huh?" That gave Bonnie an idea. "There is one place that might work. It's a bit of a drive, but perfect. Do you have some time?"

Chase looked at Cameron and shrugged. "Oh, why not." He was actually hoping a long drive would give him a chance to take a nap in the car.

----------------------------

They had to admit, the place was very, very nice. The price was right too, but…

"Gorgeous custom home on 2.5 acres, 9 ft ceilings, beautiful woodwork and wainscoting, two story foyer with open railing staircase, vaulted family room, island kitchen, 42" maple cabinets, hardwood floors, three car garage and brick patio. There's also a fenced area in the backyard for the dog."

"We don't have a dog."

"You will."

Chase looked out the gorgeous bay window that looked beyond the spacious dinette area. "I only see cows. Aren't there any people around here?"

"Somewhere. I'm not sure really because I've never shown a home in rural Pennsylvania before."

"We aren't in New Jersey?"

Bonnie laughed again. "Oh heavens no. You can't find this sort of thing in New Jersey."

They knew it was a long drive, but they were asleep for most of it and don't remember seeing a Pennsylvania sign.

"You're right, this is a perfect house and we love how it is over 3000 square feet, but how long is the drive out here?" Cameron asked, knowing no answer would likely be acceptable.

"To PPTH, about 86 minutes. I don't know about Princeton General."

Cameron grabbed her head, not wanting to say anymore. Bonnie couldn't take a clue if it was applied with a sledgehammer.

Chase was too busy exploring possibilities. "Oh, I don't know dear. There is enough space over there to build a helipad so we can actually get to work each morning in fifteen minutes."

"Did we want a big yard? Something with this much acreage?"

"Sure," Chase said letting his dry humor show again. "I actually can see myself on a riding mower on a nice hot day with my headphones on cutting the acreage."

Cameron laughed at that image in her head. "And I would be in the island kitchen fixing you a pitcher of lemonade and some cookies."

"You see, maybe it isn't such a bad idea." They were both just plain slaphappy now.

Bonnie finally could tell after spending all day with them that she had pushed them a bit too far. "Take all the time you need to think about it. Since you have a good idea of your options now, maybe you can specifically pick out what you want to see next time."

They both bit their lips, groaning inside over the possibilities of another outing. "Uh, can you give us a few minutes?" Chase asked. Bonnie eagerly nodded and went into the other room.

"Another day or days of this? Maybe we can just take Tony Soprano's house. It's only money right?"

"She's the absolute worst realtor in New Jersey." Cameron said keeping her voice low.

"New Jersey and Pennsylvania." Chase replied still in a joking mood. "I think we just have to tell her what we are looking for. If we don't have a good idea of what we don't want after today, then we are as clueless as she is."

"Do you want something new and big?"

"I don't know."

"How much can we afford?"

"I don't know."

"How did Foreman and Pamela get so lucky with their find?"

"I don't know."

Cameron knew she was going to have to start setting the boundaries. "Robert, I knew that you grew up in a fancy home, but I grew up in a two bedroom apartment. I wouldn't mind a nice house."

"I want a nice house too. Size doesn't matter. Do you want to start small and move up, or are you looking for the home we want to grow our family in?"

Cameron smiled sweetly. "Grow our family? You expect me to put my body through this more than once?"

"Is that question I actually have to answer right now?"

Cameron smiled, letting him off the hook. "Let's go home and regroup. I'm sure we can get on the Internet and get a good idea of what we want."

He pulled her toward his chest and looked all around at the nice house that surrounded them. "A helicopter would be pretty cool."

Cameron laughed. "Come on. I'm sure Bonnie is wondering what we are up to."

-----------------------------------------------

"Allison?"

"Yes." Cameron said, a little scared that her doctor called her on the pager. She knew something wasn't right.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I need to get you in for level two ultrasound right away."

"What's wrong?"

"Allison, your test came back with elevated levels of AFP."

----------------------------------

**a/n: Oh, I so want to give you a preview of what's coming up, but I can't. Thanks for reading!**


	14. House Hunting, part 2

"Allison, I warned you before this could happen. It likely means nothing, but we want to take a look."

Cameron bit her lip, not accepting her doctor's assurances since she knew exactly what elevated levels could mean. "Elevated? That rules out Downs Syndrome and Trisomy X, but not neural tube defect or fetal demise. That is a worse scenario."

"You know as well as I do there are many other reasons for elevated levels. It's possible the Phenergan is interfering as well."

Cameron agreed, but that didn't calm the panic building up inside.

"It would be best if Robert was there with you."

Cameron agreed. "Okay, I'll call him. What time should I be there?"

"I'll have my nurse give you that info once we know. Try not to worry about it. Most of the time these things turn out fine."

"I know, I'll remain positive." She knew that was a blatant lie for her doctor's sake. She would be frantic until that test happened.

--------------------------------------------

Chase rushed over right away as soon as he got the call. The appointment wasn't for a couple of hours, but they needed time together to prepare.

Wilson was kind enough to give them his office while they waited. Chase just held a quiet Cameron in his arms while they sat on the couch, watching the minutes to tick away. "We know the odds Allison. They will likely work in our favor."

"I know. There is that part of the back of my mind though that is asking me the question, what if it's a malformed neural tube? What do we do? It's a death sentence for our child no matter what."

"Don't ask unless you have to answer. We tell patients that all the time."

"We are full of shit."

Chase gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. "Whatever the outcome, we'll deal with it together. Driving yourself crazy isn't going to help."

"I know. Why aren't I listening to the rational doctor part of me?"

"You're not the doctor here. You are acting like the expectant mother. You should be reacting this way."

"What about you the expectant father? Why are you so calm?"

"It's all a front for your sake. Inside, I'm freaking out too."

Cameron slightly smiled. "Okay, now that makes me feel better."

----------------------------------------------

Cameron couldn't avoid kicking out her legs back and forth slightly as she waited on the exam table for the doctor to come in. She wanted to get this over with. Chase sat in the chair beside her, trying pass the time by reading one of those outdated women's magazines that these offices never seemed to update. He was interested in the top fifty things women found sexy about men.

Both were snapped out of their distractions as soon as Dr. Ades walked in. She had a cheerful and optimistic look on her face, but then again, she knew that other doctors could see through the tricks. She still had to try.

"I'm glad you both were able to be here. Since you both know your way around one of these things, I'll just get the images and let you two see for yourself. We'll know pretty quickly. Are you ready?"

"No, but I don't think I'll ever be." Cameron nervously replied. Chase got up and took her hand while she leaned back on the partially raised table indicating her cooperation.

Dr. Ades went to work rather quickly, preparing the gel and transducer. Given that this was a level II ultrasound, the images would be far more detailed and better than anything they had seen yet. Cameron's breathing was slightly heavy, partially from anxiety and partially from the baby pressing on her diaphragm from the elevated position.

The doctor started searching from the top of the uterus since the first order was to rule out a neural tube defect. They needed to see the skull. Within a minute an image popped onto the screen, but none of them were prepared for what they saw. Both Chase and Cameron's eyes bulged out of their head and Cameron gasped in total shock. Even Dr. Ades couldn't believe it.

"That's…uh…but how…"

"Please tell me that's not a two-headed baby." Chase said in disbelief.

Dr. Ades smiled and moved the transducer downward to get a better view.

"Nope, that's definitely twins." Chase dryly declared. Cameron was too stunned to say anything.

"Twins explains everything." Dr. Ades said very relieved. "The elevated AFP, and the fact your fundal measurement was normal. Given your Hypermesis and the fact you have lost weight it probably should have been abnormal for one baby."

"How did we miss this on the first ultrasound?" Cameron asked.

"It sometimes happens. When they are that small, it's easy for one to hide behind the other. Plus, we weren't exactly looking for two heartbeats. You should be relieved. So far both skulls look intact. I'm going to get some more detailed scans and take pictures for you to show off."

Dr. Ades moved the tranducer all around the uterus, stopping often to examine various body parts and take detailed notes. A very stunned Chase and Cameron held their breaths, wondering if the rest of the scan would reveal any more surprises. In a way, it did. A huge smile appeared on Chase's face when he spotted it. "That one's a girl."

He looked over at Cameron to get a reaction, but all he saw was his wife still too overcome by all that had happened.

"The other doesn't want to show itself," Dr. Ades said. "I'll see if I can get it to move around."

She took the next twenty minutes to get as many detailed scans as possible, but she didn't have any luck in getting the second baby to reveal its gender. "Sorry, but the other one is playing shy. It seems to like hiding from us." She put the transducer down and started cleaning up Cameron's abdomen. "Everything looks perfect. Congratulations to you both, this is very good news."

Chase was smiling in complete relief, but he noticed Cameron was still in her shell-shocked stupor. "Come on Allison, say something."

"I think we need to be looking for a bigger house."

----------------------

Cameron and Chase entered House's office, where House, Wilson and Foreman were waiting. They knew by Cameron's pale look and distant bravado that the results were not normal. However, given Chase's very pleased look, they were completely confused as what the mixed signals meant.

"You going to tell us?" Foreman asked impatiently.

Chase handed him the ultrasound scans with deep pride. Foreman's eyes jumped out of his head. "Twins?"

That announcement caused House and Wilson to sit up and take notice.

Foreman smiled when he took a further look. "Hey, this one's a girl."

"Let me see that." House held out his hand, gesturing impatiently to Foreman.

Foreman handed them over. House's eyebrows raised when he examined the babies. "This baby is a little young to be spreading her legs for the camera, don't you think? She's quite talented. You should be proud."

House tilted his head when looking at the other one. "This one must be a boy."

"What makes you think that?" A very curious Chase asked.

"It's timid and evasive, just like his dad."

Wilson grabbed the scan from House to see for himself. "I don't know. It could be a female version of Chase."

"I'm sorry, did you just say wager?" House said prodding Wilson.

"I'm in too." Foreman said. "I'm agreeing with Wilson on this."

"Can I...?" Chase was cutoff off by House.

"Sorry, no daddies allowed in the bet. You have inside information."

Foreman got up and pulled out his phone. "I better tell Pamela what is happening. She will be relieved." He disappeared into the adjoining room.

Wilson moved toward the office door. "I'll tell Cuddy. She wanted to know as well. Congratulations to you both."

House couldn't take his eyes off Cameron, who was sitting in the recliner all this time staring off into space and not saying a word. "What's bothering you?" He asked her directly.

"I'm still trying to figure out how this happened. There are no twins on my side of the family."

House's eyes fell on Chase, who was looking very guilty. "My mother's siblings were twins."

That got Cameron's attention. "You didn't tell me???"

"How was I supposed to know it was relevant? After all, this was the first hint we got."

"What's the big deal?" House said. "Two for the price of one. Knock em out quickly."

Cameron and Chase both looked at House with usual contempt, even though such a comment should have been expected from him.

Cameron got up. "I'm taking the rest of the day off. This has been too much."

House handed back the scans to Chase. "A wimp and a boisterous attention seeker. How pathetic, you are having clones."

"I certainly hope so." Chase said as he took the scans and gently grasped Cameron's arm to help her up. As soon as they left House cracked a smile, feeling actually kind of proud. He could never let them see it.

---------------------------

Instead of heading for the car Chase pushed them toward the courtyard.

"What are you doing?" Cameron asked.

"It's a nice day and we could use a walk. It will help clear our heads a bit. You still seem very overwhelmed."

Cameron nodded in agreement and proceeded to walk along the path. She tried to maintain the silence for as long as possible, but broke down after only a few minutes. She curled up a tight fist and hit Chase square in the arm.

"What was that for?"

"I haven't reminded you in a while that you did this to me. Now your screwed up genetics has really made a mess of things."

Chase chuckled. "It seems we have been dealing with a lot of surprises lately. We'll manage this one just like we have the others."

"Two? At the same time? How will we manage? One sounded like too much."

"Lots of people have twins and get on fine. It's just an adjustment, that's all. Aren't you the least bit happy that we know that one is a girl?"

Cameron smiled. "Yes, I guess I haven't had time to enjoy that fact. You think it is a brother or a sister in there with her?"

"I don't want to guess. I'll be happy no matter what."

"I should be relieved. After all, instead of having one unhealthy baby we now have two healthy ones. Why am I not relieved?"

"You're too busy being freaked out. You have every right to be that way though. Carrying two will get rough."

"It's rough now. House was right though. I'm knocking two out at once. Maybe this will be all that we need."

"You see, you are looking at the positive."

They walked a little further, taking in all the soothing surroundings in comfortable silence. "Amanda." Cameron blurted out without warning.

"What's that?"

"I like the name Amanda."

"It's…nice." Chase said with reservation.

"You don't like it?"

"No, I just need to get used to it. Amanda Chase. That doesn't sound too bad."

"I'll get you to see exactly how perfect a name it is. You are defenseless against

me."

"Fine. If the other baby is a boy, I get to name it. I have no idea what that name will be, but I'm taking dibs."

"What if it's a girl?"

"Emily."

Cameron's face lit up. "I love that! Not more than Amanda, but I'll agree to the second choice."

"Okay, we are getting somewhere."

Cameron stopped. "Come on, I'm sure you have to get back to work and I'm tired. No wonder if there are two of them hogging all my strength now."

"I'm not going back today."

"So we have a free afternoon together?"

"Yep."

Cameron's eyes lit up. "Have you ever seen the Baby Gap?"

----------------------------------------

Cameron had never been so enthralled by a neighborhood before. They drove down a picturesque block lined with tall mature trees on both sides. The mixture of lushly landscaped Colonial and Victorian style homes that all towered over the road was appealing to the naked eye. They saw kids on bikes, people working in their yards and the general excitement that happens when spring finally arrives and the outdoors can be enjoyed again.

"This house wasn't on our list." Cameron said as they pulled into one of the driveways. She didn't complain too much though. This home was a Dutch Colonial on a corner lot, close to where the road dead-ended. It was perched on top of a hill and proudly displayed its elegance from all angles because of its isolation on the large lot.

They pulled in front of the detached two and a half car garage and were able to get a glimpse of the majestic backyard. The yard was lined with rows of blooming bushes and trees accompanying a plush green lawn. A brick pathway wound through the backyard and led to stunning white arched trellis crawling with newly growing roses. The trellis marked the entrance to a brick patio area, which contained old-fashioned garden benches surrounded by a compelling variety of plants and flowers.

"This looks better than anything I've seen in freaking Better Homes and Gardens." Cameron joked.

They moved onto a curved stone walkway that led them to the front entrance of the house. Any excitement Cameron felt was quickly contained when she saw the status on the "For Sale" sign on the front lawn. "Oh, it's in contract."

"They are accepting backup offers, plus this home has many attractive features you might want to see." Bonnie said. "This is a highly sought out neighborhood that rarely gets anything this beautiful available, so it's worth a look."

Cameron looked at Chase for any apprehension, but for the first time since they started looking she saw genuine excitement in his eyes. "Okay, I'm game."

The grey brick that covered the lower half of the house welcomed them with an arched doorway, complete with a stained glass wooden front door. The top portion of the house had white siding with black shutters that highlighted what looked like huge windows from the outside.

"What year was this built?" Cameron asked, already blown away before she even set foot in the house.

"1930."

The foyer instantly greeted them with an open railing staircase that ran up from the left and then turned right for the rest of the way up. The floor contained original wide planked pine hardwood and it was well cared for and restored.

"Most of this house has the original hardwood flooring exposed. Would you like to start upstairs or downstairs first?" Bonnie asked.

"Upstairs. I can't resist the staircase." Cameron replied.

The stairs were immaculate themselves. The bottom parts were painted white and the original hardwood on sat the top. The oak railing was sturdy and decorative, which Cameron appreciated greatly since stairs were already proving to be a difficulty. By the time they got to the top, her breathing was labored.

At the top of the stairs was a large open square area. Each of the rooms could be easily seen by standing in the middle. First they entered a rather large master bedroom with small fireplace. Cameron felt completely at home in this room. "I can't get over the large windows and fireplace. It has so much natural light."

"The current owners took some room and closet space and put in a small bathroom. They installed an organized closet system than compensated for some of the loss of space."

Cameron gazed into small bathroom which had an adequate a pedestal sink, toilet and shower. She looked into the reach in closet next to the bathroom and found that did utilize its space to the fullest. "It's enough for me, but we would have trouble finding space for all of Robert's ties."

Chase didn't even take offense or offer a biting comment back. Cameron mentally noted she would find out what was up with him after they had looked at the house.

They moved into the next room, which was a very large full bathroom. It had an old fashioned bathtub with legs, newer yet attractive tile all along the bottom half of the walls, and a large window over the tub yet again letting in the brilliant light. "I never knew bathrooms could have so much character." Cameron said.

They next walked into two more decent sized bedrooms. "This one's already painted in pink." Cameron giggled. "That would save us some trouble for one."

"One?" Bonnie was confused by the comment.

"We're having twins."

That made sense to Bonnie. "Oh, so that's why you wanted to see bigger homes. Well, then the attic would make either a great playroom or guest bedroom."

"Attic?"

"You'll love this."

She opened a door that looked like it was for a closet, but behind it was a narrow stairway. They climbed up and found themselves in a very large open space with slanted ceilings and the same original hardwood flooring.

"This attic is finished. Many of these homes have the attic unfinished for storage space. So it's all ready for any type of use." Bonnie noted.

"It's incredible! Look at all this space. So much could be done with this." Cameron looked over to see Chase imagining the possibilities, but he was still strangely quiet. Something was up with him and she was going to find out.

They made their way down the two flights of stairs, with Cameron carefully taking her time and Chase helping her along every step of the way.

The first room they walked into downstairs was off the stairwell, accessed through two gorgeous white French doors. They stood in a large living room with a huge bay window that ran most of the height of the front wall and half of the length. The far walls of the room held custom made bookshelves and the ceiling was accented with crown molding "It's so bright and cheerful in here too."

"This can also be a great office. I would imagine that's something two doctors would need."

"It's so gorgeous in here, I wouldn't get anything done. Right Robert?"

Chase silently nodded in agreement, even if he really hadn't formed an opinion.

On the opposite side of the living room was a formal dining room graced with yet another large window. The tray ceiling that hung in the center brought to attention a very traditional and elegant chandelier.

"An actual dining room?" Cameron asked.

"Yes. Wait until you see the kitchen."

They moved toward the kitchen, which was separated from the dining room by a butler pantry area. "This was standard in homes of the time." Bonnie told Cameron while she was admiring the pantry. "I don't know why newer homes don't have this. It brings so much character."

The kitchen was surprisingly open with new country white cabinets and grey granite countertops. There was a huge window over the sink that again lit up the entire room. The island was large with part of it offering a raised counter for seating. Despite its new renovation, it still had the classic country feel. "Wow, this is a show piece."

Off the kitchen was a built-on dinette area surrounded by a wall of windows that overlooked the incredible backyard. One side of the dinette area had French doors that led out to the screen porch. "They added on the dinette area and porch about three years ago. It's incredible how it blends in so much with the character of the original home."

Finally, off the kitchen was a nice family room with original brick fireplace and the same hard wood flooring that was predominate through the house. It wasn't very large and actually only had one small window, so it served as an adequate TV room.

What stood out for Cameron in the family room though were all the pictures on the fireplace mantle and the walls. They represented years of family memories in this house. "It looks like twin boys were raised here," she noticed with a big smile. The pictures followed them from birth all the way to graduation.

"Come on, you should see the basement." Bonnie suggested.

They walked down the stairwell off the kitchen to find a good sized basement with a door that opened out to the side of the yard. There was a large finished living area that Cameron easily pictured being a play area for the kids. There were all types of built in shelving for toys and books, and there was ample storage in unfinished areas off the main space. Two of those areas included a laundry room and a half bath.

Once she marveled at all the spaces in the basement and how it was the perfect ending to her tour of this incredible house, her face turned sour.

"You don't like it?" Chase asked.

"That's the problem. I love it. I can't think of anyplace more perfect. It's only 25 minutes from work, the neighborhood is amazing and it feels like an ideal place to start a family. What do you we have to do convince these people to sell to us instead?"

Chase and Bonnie smiled at one another, but tried not to make their smiles look too obvious.

"I've got an idea." Bonnie said. "You two go through that door and get a nice tour of the rest of the yard. I'll call the realtor and see if there is any hope." She pretty much had them pushed out the door before they had a chance to answer.

They again were hit with more impeccable landscaping. There was a row of freshly blooming lilac bushes that lined the side of the house and they followed the brick walkway all the way through the trellis and over to the benches. "I need to sit down." An exhausted Cameron declared. "These children are getting too heavy already."

Chase helped her sit on the bench while she took in with wide wonder the serene atmosphere. "This place is heavenly. How did this not come up on our searches?"

"This is a highly sought out neighborhood. Homes aren't on the market more than a few days."

Cameron took a deep breath. The air was pleasing with the smell of mixed floral bouquets. "I want a house like this. I can't think of a better place. I hope financial hardship falls on the people who want this house."

"Oh, you better not be wishing that." Chase said smiling.

Cameron finally caught on. "What are you up to?"

He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Cameron. She unfolded it and saw a real estate contract, one that was between the current homeowners and Robert Chase. "You bought this?" She asked with both pure excitement and confusion.

"I had to act fast. They were waiting for another offer. I found out about this place from a patient. I had to see it because she said her friend raised twins in this home. I took it to be a sign and came right over to see the place."

"Why didn't you call me?"

"You were busy at work and there was no time. I took a chance that you would love it as much as I did."

"This contract was signed two days ago. Why didn't we come here before then?"

"Bonnie only got the offer acceptance last night. I didn't want to get your hopes up."

Cameron grabbed his hand, returning the same bright enthusiastic smile he had over telling her the news. Her eyes instantly went teary. She should have been mad that he bought a house without getting her input, but she instead she couldn't remember getting a greater gift. "It's perfect. Can we afford this?"

"Surprisingly, yes. I have no idea how comparable it is with other homes in the area, but compared to Princeton it is a steal. We even have little bit left to buy some of the furniture we will need to fill this place."

Cameron couldn't hold her joy any longer. She let the tears fall all while never losing her big smile. "When do we move in?"

"If all goes well, 60 days."

"Great, I'll be the size of this house by then."

Chase laughed the timing of her self-deprecating humor. "We don't have a lot to move. This house will consume us with its emptiness for a while."

"Thank you." She leaned over and gave him a huge kiss in appreciation.

He gave her another huge smile. "I'm glad you liked it, otherwise I would have been screwed."

Cameron laughed. "You got lucky pal."

Bonnie walked toward them, noticing the smiling faces and teary eyes. "So, how did she take the news?"

Chase finished his laughter while wiping away one of Cameron's tears. "I think she took it well."

"You don't know how excited I am about this. For you both and not just for me finally getting a sale. How about we go inside? There are a few papers I need both of you to sign. It also gives you a chance to take a further look."

Cameron seemed reluctant to leave the beautiful surroundings. Chase got up and held out his hand. "Come on, we'll have the rest of a lifetime to enjoy this view."

She nodded enthusiastically and they proceeded inside to their new home.

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**a/n: I told you I wrote too much! BTW, if anyone wants to accuse me of plot contrivance (which I plead guilty on from time to time), Cameron's pregnancy mirrors the exact pregnancy a friend of mine had. She had horrible Hypermesis and then halfway through the pregnancy found out she was having twins. They found out one was a girl but didn't find out the sex of the other until they were born. So, this is based on a true story! Anyway, I hope you liked. I think next chapter will be a comical Pamela POV chapter. It at least sounds funny in my head. **


	15. The Formal Dinner

**a/n: I apologize, I'm a few days late for my self imposed deadline of Monday. I wrote this chapter in between soccer, taekwondo, work and other spring activity schedules for the family (not to mention loads of yard work), then when I finished it, I hated it. I finished the rewrite today and I'm pleased with the results. I hope you are as well. **

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Pamela Foreman thrived on crazy situations. She never pegged herself to be crazy, but she suspected she was a magnet for all the warped people in the world. She had to go with the flow otherwise she would become insane herself. Part of it had to do with being raised with a certifiable brother who was only 16 months younger. Catering to Jamal's whims made him feel less crazy and that made life easier for both of them. It did at least until he made it to the real world.

Still, despite all the strange situations she's been caught in the middle of in her lifetime, what she had to do tonight was up there. Her nerves were already shot. If she knew when she started the whole mess that the result would be this, she'd have graciously backed away and kept going through wall colors.

She sifted through the racks in her closet, trying to figure out what would be the most appropriate attire for this evening. "There you are!" she said to the dress hanging in front of her. It was tasteful, classy, but didn't make her look like her grandmother either. She slid it on and admired the reflection in her full-length mirror. "Hot damn." This was the winner. She sifted through the jewelry box next to find the right item to compliment her dynamic look.

"Hot damn baby." Eric's voice said from behind her. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a big squeeze.

"That's what I said. I'm still mad at you for getting us into this though."

"Come on. We have to play along."

Pamela chuckled. "I suppose if Robert had to endure golfing, we can handle looking like this in front of pompous strangers for a few hours at some stuffy formal dinner. At least I can feel pretty."

"Pretty? Flowers, ponies, and pink princesses are pretty. You are smokin'."

She laughed and turned around to face Eric, who was dressed in a boring crisp white shirt, black tie, and black suit. "Oh, this won't do. We are going to be the only black people there right?"

"I'm not sure, but I wouldn't count on too many others."

"Then stop looking like all of them uppity socialites. We should make more of a statement. A nice dark purple suit with pale pink shirt would compliment this burgundy dress nicely." She pulled him into the closet. "We've got to get to work."

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Wilson was there to great them in a well, a boring crisp white shirt, black tie, and black suit. "See, I told you." Pamela said smacking Foreman's arm.

Foreman nodded, knowing never to doubt his woman's insight.

"You two look rather colorful." Wilson tactfully observed.

"I fully intend to be the life of the party." Pamela paused, noticing Wilson was alone. "Where's Lisa?"

"She will be along later. She wasn't feeling well. She'll be here though since it doesn't look good for the Dean of Medicine to miss a party thanking the hospital donors."

Pamela moved her eyes swiftly through the crowd. "I swear I'm at an AARP convention. So, these are the people that have the ear of the board members?"

"Yes, and a few board members are here this evening as well. I'll have to point them out. This is your chance to make a lasting impression."

"A lasting positive impression. We don't want to have to move our practice to Spokane." Foreman warned.

"Spokane?" Pamela was appalled. "That's the place you pull out of your butt at the last second? I would have said Fresno myself."

"Fresno?" Foreman couldn't believe the nerve of his wife. "That place is a cesspool."

"How would you know? Ever been there?"

"Yes I have."

"Have you ever been to Spokane?"

"No, but -"

"Don't pick a city unless you've been there."

"Is Spokane beautiful?"

"Yes it is actually."

"Then that's where I'm moving the practice."

"Wait a minute," Wilson interrupted not sure if he really wanted to know what this insanity was all about. "You two are fighting over where to put your fictional private practice?"

Both Foreman and Pamela glared at him, not at all pleased that he was interrupting their standard disagreement.

Wilson shook his head. "Sorry I asked. Anyway, are you both ready to meet some VIPs?"

Pamela flipped her head backward. "I'm fully prepared to shine. Lead the way Cochise."

Foreman spoke softly to her as Wilson led the way. "Cochise?"

"I needed a sidekick nickname, and I'm sure he's sick of being called Boy Wonder."

"Good point."

Wilson lowered his head, suspecting that it was going to be hard to keep Pamela on a leash tonight. He found the first couple to make an introduction.

"Pamela and Eric Foreman, meet Michael and Priscilla Barton." They shook hands cordially, while Priscilla grinned wide-eyed at the sight in front of her.

Pamela looked down at her dress, wondering if she had a boob hanging out or something. She whispered to Foreman. "Is there a mark on my face?"

Foreman shook his head.

"Sorry for staring dear. We just don't see too many people that come in here that are so young and colorfully dressed." Mrs. Barton said with diplomatic tone.

_Or colorfully skinned either._ Pamela bit her tongue to avoid verbalizing that thought.

"Oh, I see a dear friend. Would you all excuse me?" Mrs. Barton left, leaving them to wonder how pleased she was to get out of that awkward situation.

"So Dr. Foreman, I understand you want to start a private diagnostic practice. What type of business plan do you have for the next five years?" Mr. Barton asked.

Pamela jumped in, not letting Foreman speak a word. "Eric can answer all your doctor questions. For the business stuff, I'll be more than happy to share with you the plans." She lightly grabbed his arm. "How about I talk while we work our way over to that bar? I'm a trite thirsty."

Foreman and Wilson laughed as a stunned Mr. Barton headed over to the bar with Pamela. "Oh yeah, she's got this under control." Foreman said.

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Cameron and Chase arrived, both with pretty big frowns on their faces. "What's up with you two?" Foreman asked noticing the sour mood.

"You wouldn't be happy over going to one of these things wearing a maternity evening gown that looks like something an old woman would wear." Cameron did a quick examination of the room. "Although, it looks like I'm fitting in nicely."

"So you two are upset over a maternity gown?"

"No, we were having an argument." Cameron clarified.

"Dare I ask over what?" Foreman really didn't want to know, but if he didn't ask Cameron would bitch about it to him later.

"She says her dress is light mauve while I think it's more periwinkle." Chase volunteered the info hoping for support.

Foreman shook that one off. "Sorry, you are going to have to ask our color coordination expert over there what it is." He pointed over to Pamela.

Cameron looked in that direction, noticing Pamela with three older couples. "She does make friends quickly. She's got them eating out of her hands."

Wilson was still stuck on the argument. "That's why my marriages failed. We never fought over stupid stuff." He stopped when he saw a familiar sight across the room. "There's Cuddy. I'll catch you later."

Cameron was ready to socialize. "I'm going hear what Pamela is telling those people. It ought to be good. Plus, someone needs to keep her on a leash."

Chase and Foreman were left behind, standing side by side in silence, watching all the activity in the large ballroom.

"Spokane or Fresno?" Foreman asked.

Chase scrunched his face in disapproval of his choices. "Neither."

"Fine, then you aren't part of the practice."

Chase stopped himself from asking. He shrugged it off and they went back to crowd watching.

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"Glad to see you could make it." Wilson gave Cuddy a concerned look, which she returned with her own 'I'm fine' glance. The heavy makeup indicated that she was trying to hide something, possibly a pale complexion.

Cuddy's eyes grew wide as she looked across the room. "How did Pamela…?"

"Who knows? Anyway, she's been making an impression."

"That's it, I'm hiring her as my chief fundraiser." Pamela had a group of people laughing to the point where a few of the older men were turning red.

"She might end up killing the benefactors. I need to warn her about weak hearts." Wilson joked.

"Lucky for them there are doctors in the room." Cuddy deadpanned.

Wilson leaned in toward her and spoke under his breath. "I'm not sure the tight evening gown was the way to go."

Cuddy placed her hand on her midsection. "You have to look really hard to see something, and only you and House would do that."

"I'm not talking about your gut." Wilson pointed his eyes tactfully toward her breasts.

Cuddy gasped a little and pulled the material on her dress to cover them a bit better.

"You feeling any better?"

"Yes actually. I just forgot to eat something this afternoon. I don't have issues if I eat properly. Maybe I forgot because I'm still busy getting ready for the merger next week."

"I thought Trinity promised it would be seamless."

"Seamless to all you doctors. To me, it's a nightmare." Cuddy took in a deep breath, preparing herself to face the crowd. "Just follow me around tonight. I need you to hit me if I get too spacey."

"Consider it done." Wilson replied smiling at the thought of his assignment.

Cuddy pasted on a smile as she saw a familiar face. She grabbed Wilson's compliant hand and dragged him along. "Oh, hello Mrs. Johnson."

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"So, the three nurses were asked by St. Peter, 'What did you do back on earth that should get you into Heaven?' The first nurse replied, 'I was a nurse at an intercity hospital, so I brought healing and peace to many sufferers, especially poor and helpless children.' St. Peter said, 'Very noble, you may enter.' The second nurse said, 'I was a nurse in the Amazon. For many years I worked with a skeleton crew of doctors and nurses all while healing people of numerous tribes in the name of God's love.' St. Peter said, 'You too may enter.' The third nurse came up and said, 'I was a nurse at an HMO.'" Pamela paused to snicker, hoping to hype up the punch line that she was ready to deliver.

"Oh, come on, don't leave us hanging." A very interested woman insisted.

"Okay, St. Peter said, 'OK, you may enter too.' The third nurse was surprised. 'Whew,' she said, 'For a moment there I thought you weren't going to let me in.' St. Peter replied, 'Oh, you can come in, but you can only stay for three days.'"

The entire crowd erupted in laughter. Pamela laughed along with them, floored that she could win over this crowd so easy. "Oh, I see my husband over there, will you excuse me?"

Foreman leaned into his wife once she joined him and spoke softly into her ear, "That wasn't a great joke."

Pamela responded through her fake smile, "I know, it sucked. All I need to do is tell bad hospital jokes with a big smile and we're in baby."

"Mrs. Foreman!" A woman shouted heading toward them.

"How did you get popular so quickly?" Foreman asked in a slight whisper.

Pamela put her hands on her hips. "Uh, do you not know me?"

The woman caught up to them. "There is something you have to meet. I think you will find his work fascinating." She dragged Pamela off, leaving Foreman to wonder why he even had to be there at all.

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"I'm surprised to see you here Jerry." Cuddy said greeting the man that was both similar to her in profession and age. "Doesn't Princeton General throw its own parties?"

"Is that anyway to greet the head of the transition team? After all, we're in the same family now. Or at least will be by next week."

"Right, somehow I keep forgetting that the way I have to keep fighting for PG for rights to various services. They don't play nice with the other kids."

"Don't worry, that will all work itself out. They have worry about their bottom line you know."

"Just because we are a teaching hospital doesn't mean that we don't have the right to survive."

"I know, I know. I'm on your side too. Trust me, Trinity isn't about to leave you hanging. In fairness though, Princeton General doesn't have all these generous benefactors. You aren't out of business tomorrow."

"I'm sorry, why are you here? You better not be talking to our donors."

Jerry faked offense. "Well, talk about not wanting to share. Anyway, I'm here to meet this woman that keeps pestering our head admin about giving up the rights to one of our best doctors. It seems she has backed off in the last few weeks and it's making him nervous. He thinks she's up to something. Considering she is here making friends with all the VIPs in this room, I'm thinking he's right."

"I wouldn't know anything about that."

"You've always been a bad liar Lisa. No big deal, I just wanted to introduce myself."

Cuddy saw what he was up to. "You're going to offer her something."

"Maybe. I have to see first. She has these people eating out of her hands."

"Oh, and I'm sure you are keeping both hospitals evenly in mind with your proposal." Cuddy had to stop when she was suddenly hit with a wave of sickness. "As much as I would like to chat Jerry, I need to excuse myself. Nice seeing you." She walked away quickly, heading straight for the ladies room.

Jerry shook his head, deciding he didn't want to know what was up with her, and headed toward Pamela's direction.

-----------------------------------

"Please Bob, tell them about your work helping underdeveloped nations in Africa."

The older gentleman nodded, always pleased at a chance to talk about his charitable deeds. "The biggest problem in many of those nations is that people are dying in droves of curable diseases…"

Pamela stood listening to the windbag with her 'intently listening' face on. She wondered if someone would ask her if she had ever been to Africa. It wouldn't surprise her since many of these people were that clueless. The small crowd listened with fascination while he talked about how he got some funds to various relief organizations. _All I'd have to do is send a hundred bucks to the Red Cross and I'd save a village._ Pamela thought.

"…So that's how my contributions saved thousands of lives in Somalia."

"That's so inspirational Bob." One of the suck ups standing around said.

"How about you Mrs. Foreman?" Bob asked.

"How about what?"

"Have you done any work with African relief efforts?"

"No, not unless you count the time I sent Sally Struthers twenty bucks."

The others laughed, but Bob looked a little surprised. "I figured fighting poverty in Africa would be important to your people."

Pamela pushed her fake smile a little wider, fighting back every urge to smack the clueless idiot. "Sorry, my people just don't have your vision."

Cameron knew that wild look in Pamela's eye. One more comment from this guy and she would go off. "Please excuse us, we need to catch up with our husbands."

"Please Bob, continue to inspire me with your generosity. I love hearing preposterous stories while I stare at you with a mixture of hostility and curiosity." Pamela snarked softly as Cameron pulled her away.

"You weren't actually going to say that, were you?

"Maybe, okay no, but my tongue would be bleeding from biting it so hard."

Cameron decided to change the focus. "I wish House was here."

"You're wishing for disaster?"

"Look at Cuddy and Wilson. They are acting like a comfortable old married couple. I'd give anything to watch House brooding in the corner, drinking heavily, overanalyzing their every move. If this wasn't such a formal occasion, I'd be sending him pictures."

"There's no occasion that will prevent me from taking advantage of a golden opportunity." Pamela got out her camera phone and snapped a few pictures of Wilson and Cuddy together. "What's House's number?"

--------------------------------

"So you're expecting twins?"

"Yes, and one of them is a girl." Cameron proudly proclaimed to the older woman.

"Oh, how delightful, congratulations to you both. I remember being that young and just starting a family. It's such an exciting time."

_I'm surprised you remember being young at all,_ Pamela thought.

"For you maybe." Her husband said. "For me, I never had more stress in all my life. How do you plan on juggling a family and starting a practice?"

"I plan on working part time once the babies are born. I'll primarily consult from home. My husband and Dr. Foreman will be the primary physicians."

"I still don't see what value Dr. Chase is bringing to your organization." An unfamiliar voice chose to join the conversation after eavesdropping.

"Excuse me?" Pamela asked with confusion in her voice.

"He's the son of Rowan Chase."

Pamela didn't know this middle aged man, but she had noticed him listening in on many of her conversations this evening. She looked over at Chase, who had his head lowered and chose to be silent. That was the only sign she needed to go on. "Yes, who I recall was a brilliant doctor."

"I met him a few times. He was an ass."

"An assessment that his son over there would fully agree with you on."

The man stepped forward, moving closer to Pamela in the process. "Robert Chase had his path easily paved for him because of his father. He didn't have to work hard to get anywhere. I even heard that his inheritance is funding your little venture."

Pamela flicked her tongue as a way to get hold of her temper. "Since this is a private practice, funding is none of your concern. I'm willing to bet you don't know Robert Chase at all. Let me guess, you're holding some type of grudge against Dr. House."

"Dr. House might be brilliant, but he's a disgrace to this profession."

Pamela lowered her head and put her hands on her hips. She stepped forward, almost pushing her nose into his face. "Okay, there is no way you will ever get me to defend House. Your opinions are likely justified there. However, where do you get off judging a young man who just happens to have a brilliance of his own by how much of a jerk his father and boss were?"

"He's an average doctor that got his opportunities from his family name. Considering the small number of cases House takes a year, he likely spent his entire time reading his mail. Oh wait, that's his wife's job, right? She'll be a real asset to the practice as well."

Cameron stepped forward with mouth open ready to rip into this guy. Chase pulled her backward and shook his head letting her know to back off. He saw the fiery look in Pamela's eye. He knew what was coming.

"If you're so damn smart at reading people sir, tell me, why would a man who has had his path laid for him leave the security of the medical community of his home country and try to make a name for himself 10,000 miles away? Why don't you ask all the people whose lives Dr. Chase has saved what they think about his cushy and privileged upbringing with a jerk father that never gave a damn? As for the entire team, what in the world makes you think that working for Dr. House for almost four years was a cakewalk? Oh yeah, because House is such a nice guy that doesn't cause any trouble at all or abuse his staff in any way. Their three plus years of training is ten under any other doctor. Finally, why is your tie so damn ugly!" Pamela stepped backward while keeping the scowl on her face.

The jerk chuckled and held out his hand. "Jerry Anderson."

"Charmed I'm sure." Pamela offered her hand in return, still seething over his intentional attack.

The man turned to the gathering crowd, which included Chase and Cameron stunned in the background. "Would you excuse us please?" He pulled Pamela over to the bar. "Would you like a drink?"

Pamela stared at him skeptically without accepting his gesture. "Jerry Anderson. You're on the Princeton General board, aren't you?"

"Guilty, but I work for Trinity now." He turned to the bartender and ordered them two glasses of scotch. "I'm the head of the transition team for the hospital merger. You have captured our interest Mrs. Foreman. I heard Princeton General was giving you the run around."

"Run around? No, that 's too simple. They want to run over us with a freaking bulldozer, back up, and do it all over again, and then afterward laugh all over our mangled remains and start again."

The gentleman laughed at the bizarre assessment. "They don't like giving up control."

"I do have a flair for the dramatic, but trust me when I say I was holding back. So why exactly are we talking?"

"I like your private practice proposal. The hospital and I don't always see eye to eye about various ideas. They think there is prestige in diagnostics. I think it is a financial burden in which the hospital will get little payoff."

"So what was that little show about?"

"I had to make sure you wouldn't back down from a fight. You'll have plenty of battles ahead getting your practice started. For the record, I think Robert Chase is one of the brightest doctors I've seen in a long time. I've also heard nothing but good things about Dr. Cameron and Foreman as well."

Pamela wasn't sure exactly what was happening here. "I'm not a slow person, but you have succeeded in losing me. What are you saying?"

"I came here tonight to tell you that you win."

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Pamela looked everywhere for Cuddy. Chase stopped her just as she was ready to move her search to areas outside the ballroom.

"You didn't have to do that you know. I've met Jerry before and heard stories about him. He was picking a fight."

"No jerk insults my friends like that, no matter what his motives. I can't talk about this now, but Jerry wants to deal. I have to ask Cuddy a few things first before we jump in feet first."

Chase smiled. "Really? Allison saw her in the ladies room earlier, so she could still be there." Pamela nodded and turned to move in that direction.

"Oh, and Pamela, thanks."

Pamela gave him a big smile in return and headed for the restrooms. She found Cuddy in the ladies room lounge. "We need to talk, now."

Cuddy was slumped in a chair, looking a little less green than she did a half hour earlier, but she was still pretty listless. "Now?"

"Damn you look like hell. Anyway, tell me about Jerry Anderson."

"He's a straight shooter with an agenda. He's a brilliant administrator though. I assume he tracked you down."

"He says he's ready to deal. Should I trust him?"

"I don't know. If he's being on the level, that would be one very powerful ally to have."

"If he's not on the level?"

"Then you're his bitch. It would be a good idea to see what he wants to offer."

Pamela got over her excitement to take another look at Cuddy. "You really ought to get home. You shouldn't be spreading flu around like this."

"It's not the flu. I just need a few more minutes."

"If it's not the flu then," Pamela's eyes jumped way out of her head. "Holy shit, not you too! Is there something in the water at your hospital?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Why do people waste their time denying stuff when they know the accuser is not going away? I'm not House, so don't worry, you won't get playful banter from me because I want to sleep with you. I've just been through this with Allison. I know the look."

Cuddy sighed in resignation. She was too tired to fight this. "You better not say anything. Only Wilson knows."

Pamela drew a devious smile. "So, is he the daddy?"

"I'm not going reveal that information. Not a word. Not even gossip between Cameron, Chase, or your husband."

Pamela folded her arms. "I can hold out for a few weeks. It will be pretty obvious by then."

"I'm not ready to say anything yet. I especially don't want House knowing."

Pamela laughed hysterically. "Oh, I've heard that one before. You so know that keeping secrets in your hospital is impossible. Man, this sucks. I can't even place a bet over how soon it will take House to figure it out. Oh wait, I can with James! Take care of yourself Lisa." Pamela ran swiftly toward to the exit, but stopped herself and turned back around. "Oh yeah, congratulations." She turned around again and left.

Cuddy held her head. She thought about going out there and stopping Pamela. She wanted to place her bet for early Monday.

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**a/n: Finale next week. Everyone holding their breaths like I am? Anyway, if the next update doesn't get out before then, happy finale everyone! Once that's done, let the summer fanfic season begin!**


	16. Nothing Is Certain

**a/n: So sorry for the delay in an update! Everything collided at once. Another reason for delay is that I wanted to put an end to this whole hospital merger, practice negotiation thing. I'm growing tired of it (as I'm sure many of you are). I had a very rough time figuring out how to do that. The last section of this chapter might be a little confusing because it throws a lot at you, but bear with it because I'm sure you'll like the outcome. I hope you enjoy this rather different chapter. **

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Her eyelids felt like wet sandbags. She resisted any fight from within that involved opening them.

"Are you feeling alright?" Cameron felt the back of Chase's hand pressing across her cheek.

"Umph," was all she could reply. It was delivered with the proper lack of enthusiasm that told him she was fine, but unable to rouse herself. Not long after finding out she was carrying twins, getting out of bed became an impossible task. The two 7.5 inch beings growing inside were now plainly sucking the life out of her. Sleeping without discomfort was getting harder. She got too warm all the time even with no covers and a fan blowing on her. She had to get up to use the bathroom at least twice an evening. If she laid in the wrong position breathing because difficult. Sadly, that was usually the most comfortable position.

"I know it's hard, but you have to go to work. Need any help?"

Cameron shook her head and slowly let her eyes adjust to the light while clutching her forehead. "This sucks." She gently raised her torso up, having to support herself firmly on the soft bed until the world stopped spinning. The dizziness had started two days ago and was fast becoming a pain. She crawled out of bed carefully and gingerly.

"It can't be that bad." Chase said trying to toughen her up. "You're letting two miniscule little beings get the worse of you."

"These babies are stealing my will to live." Cameron growled. "Just look at what they are doing to me. I'm only halfway through this. Forget sleep. Look what they are doing to my body. Do you know how much pressure I feel on the veins of the lower half of my body? I'll have varicose veins worse than my grandmother in no time."

Chase laughed. "Very sexy varicose veins."

She grumpily tossed a pillow at him. "This is all your fault. Teasing a pregnant woman with twins is illegal in some countries. Both these girls are killing me."

Chase was surprised by her assumption. "So you're buying into the theory now that these are identical twins? I figured you'd be more open minded than that."

"Why do I need to be? The twins come from the father's side. Enough said."

Chase shook his head, wondering how badly the hormones were messing with his wife's brain. "You've worked for House how long and haven't learned that nothing is certain?"

"There are no twins in my family."

"Are you one hundred percent certain of that? You might have to dig back at least four generations before you make that claim. Just because someone wasn't born a twin doesn't mean it wasn't a twin pregnancy. Stillbirths were pretty common back then."

"Statistics tell me they're identical. It doesn't really matter anyway, because both of them are working together to do me harm and peril."

"Careful, those little brats are choosing our nursing home someday."

Cameron had enough of his teasing. "Get out! I've got to get ready."

Chase leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "Okay, I've got to get to work anyway. Try to have a good day."

"Yeah, my day should be fun." She sarcastically answered. "House won't let me do any long procedures were I have to stand on my feet. I've been spending lots of time in the lab these days."

"I'll call you later." He made a fast exit.

Cameron found herself unable to provide forward momentum as he left. Probably because she knew what was next. She carefully stood up and tried to move. Yep, leg cramps. That was another thing keeping her up a night. The irony that a doctor working unusual medical cases was suffering so much from a common condition was not lost on her.

"Irony sucks." She said to herself before painfully heading to the bathroom.

----------------------------------------

House entered in normal fashion, abruptly and without greeting. Wilson knew instantly his mood was irascible, but that was nothing new. Smiling would have worried him more.

Wilson went about his work and for a split second wondered who would speak first. He stopped himself since he knew today it wasn't going to be him.

House gave Wilson a good look-over, but his buddy was too good a poker player. He wasn't going to give him any signs about what was going on. If Cuddy wasn't in meetings, he'd be bugging her instead.

"So, how did the dinner go?"

"Great. Foreman's wife was the big hit of the evening."

"Yes, I know. I got a personal message from Pamela."

Wilson stopped what he was doing and looked at House. He had his attention now. "Why would Pamela be sending you a message? Unless you..."

"Nope, I didn't have any spies. Guess I didn't need one. The pictures she sent me were pretty revealing."

"Pictures?"

House opened his phone and showed him the three snapshots delivered to him in wicked fun. "Congratulations to you both." House said in a bitter voice before taking his phone back.

"There's nothing between us."

House cackled with a malevolent tone. "You're lying. It's okay. I'm cool with it."

"She wasn't feeling well and needed some help at the party. I was there for support."

"Come on, even Pamela Foreman saw through it and I'm willing to bet Cameron was right by her side. They can't be the only ones."

"We're friends."

House stopped his interrogation as something finally sunk in. "Wait a second, she wasn't feeling well?"

Wilson knew that look. Once House got a theory in his head, it wasn't going away. "People get sick you know."

"Not Cuddy. She's a fanatical health freak. Her immune system is as big and tight as her ass. That and her-" House stopped himself, pulled out the pictures and found his final missing piece of the puzzle. He left the office and slammed the door before Wilson had time for a reaction.

Wilson lowered his head. "He was bound to figure it out sometime." He picked back up his pen and went back to work.

----------------------

Cuddy adjusted her position in the chair, thinking she would give anything for an emergency to get her out of this never ending meeting. She snapped out of her wandering thoughts when she got a tap on her shoulder.

Her assistant pointed her finger toward the door, thus giving Cuddy her wish for a way out. "Excuse me." Cuddy told the others and followed her assistant into the hall.

"You need to speak to Dr. House now."

"Is it a medical emergency? Did a case come in?"

"No case, but it is an emergency, at least it is to the clinic staff. He's sitting outside your office and he's verbally harassing everyone. They managed to ignore him for a little while, but then he started switching labels on blood samples, answering the phone in silly voices and hiding medicines, usually in his own pocket. When he managed to knock over a pile of charts on the desk thus mixing up sheets inside, then knocking them across the floor with his cane when someone tried to pick them up, we knew it was time to get you.

"Be careful what you wish for." Cuddy said in a low voice.

"What's that?"

"Nothing. I'll take care of it."

---------------------------------------------

"No games, just tell me what you want." Cuddy said as she closed the door to her office. She knew it was something important at least to him, and that usually required everyone to drop everything.

"Don't you have something to tell me?"

Cuddy pasted on her best appalled stare. "Good morning?"

"It's one thing to hide it from me, but another to scheme about it with Wilson."

"So you dragged me about of my important duties regarding the future of this hospital to cry about me giving one child more attention than the other? Boo hoo, isn't life unfair."

"Is it mine?"

"What the hell are you asking?"

"You know exactly, but you don't want to answer. I know for a fact it can't be Wilson's. Judging by the size of your breasts and the illness symptoms, the timeline seems right."

"We aren't having this discussion right now."

"So it is mine!"

Cuddy grabbed her forehead and took in a deep breath. Does she just confess, or should wait for a better time. Oh yeah, there is never a better time with House. "Your interest is purely for entertainment and not concern."

"I have a right to know if I'm procreating in anyway."

"Why does it matter? You aren't going to be there anyway."

"So that's why you won't tell me?"

"Tell you what House?" Cuddy stammered and shook her head in frustration. "Instead of playing these games just tell me what you want to ask!"

"You're pregnant and I'm the father! There, I said it."

"Yes, and you can try and prove that with a court order after the baby is born."

"So until then, Wilson plays expectant dad? How did he find out?"

Cuddy headed for the office door. "If you're lucky, he'll tell you. Otherwise, we are done talking. I have real work I must get back to. Leave the staff outside of my office alone."

House grabbed Cuddy's arm as she tried to leave. "There's a reason why you don't want me involved. I'm not going to stop until I figure that out."

Cuddy yanked her arm away. "Good, I'm glad to see you have something to keep you busy for a while. Lord knows having actual patients hasn't been doing that these days."

She slammed the door shut, leaving House surprisingly at a loss over his next move.

----------------------------------

House came back to his office to find Cameron in his lounge chair, feet propped up, sleeping soundly. He thought about rudely waking her, but considering the mess she was earlier and how much she was grating on his and Foreman's nerves, her being out of reality was probably best for everyone.

Wilson entered a few minutes later after House paged him. "Took you long enough. Your office is just around the corner."

"I was with a patient, and shouldn't we be talking in my office? I didn't think you'd want to wake sleeping beauty over here."

"She's so hormonally whacked she won't hear a thing. Of course this is a subject matter she can relate to. How did you find out about Cuddy?"

"How did you?"

House scoffed. "Please."

Wilson nodded, accepting that Cuddy was out of time in keeping her secret anyway. "Fine, if you must know, she was very lethargic one day. I thought she was anemic and ordered her to have an exam. I ran the blood test and an unexpected result happened."

"Why unexpected?"

Wilson knew he was going further down the rabbit hole. "A few weeks before that she asked me to do her pregnancy test after the fertility treatment. It was negative."

House threw his hands in the air, it all making sense now. "Damn, I get it. She didn't come to me because at the time I was trying to get into her pants. She went to dependable ole Jimmy instead and got hooked."

Wilson shrugged. "What can you say? I'm such a great guy."

"Are you willing to play daddy for this child?"

"We haven't exactly gotten that far. Besides, we both know who the father likely is. Are you willing?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"There's still a good chance she will lose this."

Wilson sneered at his friend's denial. "She's twelve weeks along. Her odds are getting better."

"Not at her age. She'll still be at risk for a while. Unlike young mama over there, who's just getting more miserable."

Cameron was snoring by now, not at all aware as to what was happening around her.

"You just don't want to think about the notion of Cuddy actually having your baby. As soon as she started with fertility treatments, you started bothering her. The fact is and always has been, you don't want to be the dad, but you don't want anyone else to be it either."

"That's crazy. She shouldn't have a baby because she's throwing her life away."

"Fine, act that way. In 28 weeks when you're holding your child, you will see it differently." Cameron let out another loud snore as Wilson turned to leave. "At least your denial means you don't have to constantly put up with a hormonally out of control woman. I'm thinking Chase is the bravest person in the world right now."

"Chase is an idiot for embracing parenthood!" House told Wilson as he left. He turned toward the window to think over everything Wilson said.

"You're an idiot too." Cameron said as she got up and walked out.

----------------------------------------------

"Wow, you aren't color blind today."

Chase looked down at the conservative selection of colors he made. "I did that for your sake."

"My sake? I think you are mercifully sparing all of us in the room."

Chase laughed at Pamela's putdown and looked around the lobby. "Who's supposed to be here?"

"I have no idea. It could just end up us two with "suckers" written across our foreheads."

"Yeah, well I'm not saying a word. I'm leaving it all up to you."

"You're going to have to speak too you know. I just wish I had some idea of what was going on."

"It can't be that bad. I thought we were just going to hear what he had to say."

"I'm preparing for the worst."

After twenty minutes of nervously waiting, Chase went to fetch some coffee out of the machine. He got one for Pamela and handed it to her. "You can't be serious. I don't drink colored water. Don't they have a Starbucks around here somewhere?"

"It's better than nothing."

He sat down while she gave him a confused look over how he could drink that stuff. "That weak crap can't possibly keep you going through an all-nighter. If I ran this hospital, I'd be saving it from all the lawsuits brought on because it was too damn cheap to provide the right coffee to keep the physicians awake."

"You'd get my vote." Chase said before taking a sip of his weak coffee.

"Mrs. Foreman, Dr. Chase, you can follow me." They followed a well dressed woman to a small conference room where there were only four chairs. "Sucker," Pamela said to Chase, waving her finger in front of her forehead.

Before Chase could reassure her, Jerry Anderson entered. He instantly noticed Chase's beverage. "I can have my assistant get you some way better coffee than that. She was going to do a Starbucks run for me."

"Make that two for us, please." Pamela said, giving Chase an "I told you so" look.

Jerry sat down, gesturing Chase and Pamela to do the same. "I'm going to get started. We are willing to relieve Dr. Chase of his contract and waive all prior non-compete clauses so he can start his practice. As you know, our network is a Mixed Model HMO. Your practice will get a fee from us for each member of ours you treat. Anyone not in our network you will have to negotiate and follow the guidelines from the Managed Care or Insurance provider."

Pamela had no idea where he was going, but folded her arms, ready to play hardball. "Yes Jerry, we covered all this with your subordinates earlier. I indicated in our plan a range of fees we need to maintain a sustainable practice."

"Yeah, but I've got Dr. House on staff, whose fee is ridiculously low. What can you offer that he can't?"

"What, beside flexibility, less hassle, and a guarantee to examine each case sent to us? The key to success in any practice is good service, and that is a big need we can easily fill compared to Dr. House. We offer a diagnostic expert in Neurology, Immunology, and Intensive Care. House's specialty is Infectious Disease. We compliment one another nicely and would be expanding on a growing need."

"How so? Why is diagnostics so important? House got that position because Dr. Cuddy needed his mind and had to put him someplace. What makes you think an exclusive practice will survive?"

Chase leaned forward to answer that one. "Nowadays, diagnostics is harder than ever. While before there wasn't enough knowledge about variations of common medical problems, now there is too much information. It takes years of training to successfully filter through all the possibilities and get to the heart of the problem while knowing what risks to take. That's why you need more specialists."

Jerry shook his head in disagreement. "Diagnostics is a fringe specialty at best. If you end up billing as many cases as Dr. House, what use do we have for you in our referral network? Wouldn't it be better if each of you went private in your own specialty?"

Pamela had an easy answer. "We can do it that way if you want, but the long fellowships for each of our doctors under the famous Dr. House would be pretty hard to ignore on the "more info" page of our website."

Jerry let out a slight chuckle. "The reason you're in this mess is because Princeton General doesn't want to let Dr. Chase go. All your qualifications don't amount to anything if that doesn't happen. Are you willing to make Princeton General your home hospital?"

"No." Pamela said.

Chase and Jerry waited for more, then looked at each other and shrugged. They hoped Pamela would be a little more verbose than that.

Pamela got her cue and sighed. "Get real Jerry. All of our doctors are products of the PPTH program under the evil genius himself. We will offer a full expansion of services that goes beyond the whims of one eccentric mind, but we also must easy access to House in cases were a consult is needed. It's a win-win if we are all there together. A patient could end up with the brilliance of Dr. House, but they don't actually have to deal with him. That access is the insurance policy we need to sell, otherwise we go nowhere."

"What if Dr. House needs your firm for a consult?"

"We have an arrangement with Dr. Cuddy. In those cases, we will handle it in exchange use of House's new team, which gives them the training they need, and we get some form of compensation from the hospital. It's all about building relationships Jerry, and we need to start with our strengths or we don't succeed."

Jerry was still insistent on playing devil's advocate. "Private practices are facing all sorts of challenges these days. Liability costs are going through the roof, the amount of time and resources set on meeting a managed care pre-approval process and treatment plan approval are pinching time that would otherwise go to care, and billing practices must conform to insurance guidelines or you don't get compensated. How do you plan on overcoming all that?"

"Through sound business management and excellent service," Pamela replied. "I'm the person to make sure they succeed at that. I want to make sure the doctors do what they do best, which is be experts in their field."

Jerry paused, as if he heard all he needed to hear. "They've got a big problem if you're their only hope Mrs. Foreman, because you won't be able to be there to help them much."

Pamela and Chase stared at Jerry with frozen expressions, then looked at each other with confusion. "Excuse me?" Pamela asked.

"You won't be working for them."

Pamela opened her mouth in disbelief, but nothing came out but a bunch of sighs and grunts. Finally, she got some words together. "How can you say that?"

"Because, you're going to be working for me at Trinity. After the transition, I start my new position as Director of Operations for Trinity Health, Northeast US. I need an Assistant Director."

Pamela never thought before that a black woman could turn pale white. "Me, what? I have no hospital administration experience or training at all."

"Those skills can be taught. What you bring to the table can't be taught, and I need someone like that. Plus, given everything you told me today, it sounds like you know how to do homework and are a quick study."

Chase and Pamela turned to each other with mouths open, trying to grasp what was going on. They leaned in close and started to discuss in whispers. "Is he nuts?" Pamela asked.

"Accept the damn job. That way he can't take it back." Chase urged.

"But-"

"Do you know how much those positions pay?"

"No."

Chase whispered into her ear. Pamela jumped out of her chair. "I'm willing to entertain an offer. This practice has to happen first though."

"Done. You help Dr. Chase and new associates get started and I'll get together the contracts to make it happen. As for your offer, you'll have something in writing from me tomorrow."

Pamela wanted to scream for either joy or frustration, but she fought every fiber in her being for composure. "Thank you Jerry," she said very calmly holding out her hand. "I'm glad we could come to an agreement."

Both Jerry and Chase shared a snicker over her restrained reaction. "I'll talk to you later Pamela. You better get busy, you've got a lot of work to do. Robert, good luck and I'm sure we'll be crossing paths again." Jerry shook both their hands and left the room.

Pamela sunk down in her chair, her mind working like mad to comprehend what the hell just happened.

Chase noticed her stupor and shook her shoulder. "Pamela, say something."

"Uh, did we win?"

------------------------------------

**a/n: Sorry for the long transition chapter, but just consider it me reeling in the plot threads. Coming next, Chase and Cameron's moving day.**


	17. Moving Day, part 1

**a/n: Okay, when I said 'moving day', did anyone think I was going to be able to do that in one chapter? Nope. Here is the first chapter of the moving saga. I really don't know how many it will take, probably just one more, but maybe two. Anyway, I think you will find this a nice fluffy and amusing one. **

**-------------------------------------------**

"Why did we get such a big house?" Cameron asked, her shoes thumping on the hardwood floor. The sound reverberated loudly through the vacant house since no objects were around to absorb the noise. "I don't remember it being this big."

"Seems a lot different when it's empty, doesn't it? Once we fill it up, it won't seem big enough." Chase had to admit it did look different empty, but still very charming and he was thrilled to have it. They had only gotten the keys to the place an hour ago, so he still had trouble grasping the place was theirs. The previous owners called a couple of days ago wanting to move up the closing three weeks. They eagerly agreed since it would give them a chance to ease into their new home.

When they reached the kitchen, a huge, well-decorated gift basket sat proudly on the island. Cameron grabbed the card and opened it. "Enjoy your new home, Bonnie."

"We'll have to let her come back and see the place once we get it decorated."

"You mean once we get something to sit on."

Chase laughed. "Yeah, that too."

He casually strolled into the family room, mentally picturing where the entertainment system was going to go. "Four months from now this place isn't going to be quiet like this."

Cameron let out a groan and held her bulging midsection. "I think they like it. Come here."

Chase came over and Cameron placed his hand on the site of activity. "Wow," he said, "this is the most powerful they've felt yet."

"Tell me about it. I think both of them are playing soccer."

"One is probably pounding on the other, fighting for space. They are already having sibling rivalry."

They took several more minutes to admire their new home. There were so many possibilities. Cameron nodded to the questions in her mind, realizing what was missing. "Well, before we move anything in here, we need rugs."

Chase hadn't thought of that, but he did remember each room having one when they saw the home. "Okay."

"We don't have a lot of time. We should go rug shopping this afternoon."

"How does that work? Shouldn't we pick out the furniture before we pick out the rugs?"

"We should pick out rugs and decorate each room based on that."

Chase scratched his head. "That limits our options a bit when it's time to pick out furniture, doesn't it?"

"New furniture limits our rug options."

"So it's a chicken or egg thing?"

Cameron wasn't in the mood for his confusion. "Stop it. You're making a bigger issue of this than you need to. It's simple. Rugs go in the room first than furniture. There's a store not too far from here."

"Why don't you just go? Whatever you pick is fine with me."

She folded her arms and gave him the trademark piercing glare. He plastered on his trademark fake smile. "I mean, it sounds like fun."

------------------------------------

Pamela rushed into the conference room, Fed Ex envelope in her hand. "Eric," she enthusiastically called out, "here are the final details."

"What does it say?" Foreman asked, wondering why his wife was holding back. Usually by now she'd be shouting out the results. It had been over a week since the meeting with Jerry, and they had been haggling over the details of his job offer. Pamela knew with any type of job negotiation, it was never wise to accept the first offer. She went home immediately after his verbal proposal and researched the proper salary ranges for that type of position. She accepted that given her lack of experience she would be on the low end of the range, but even the low end was a drastic jump from what she was making now.

"I don't know. This is so big, I thought we'd share it together."

"Don't just stand there then. I'm here, so open it!"

Pamela took a deep breath and moved her hand to the envelope seal. She paused, wondering how drastically her life was about to change. The first offer had a salary lower than the low figure, outstanding medical benefits (which was a forgone conclusion for a hospital system), and decent retirement plan options. The vacation and comp time sucked, so she focused her counteroffer on bumping the salary up and getting at least enough time off where she didn't end up in a mental institution from overwork. She was going to be an administrator for god sake, not a freaking doctor. No one was going to die if she decided to take off to the Bahamas for a week.

House and Wilson heard the commotion going on in the other room. It was pretty hard to miss since Pamela was not easy to ignore. "I think we need to be a part of this." House moved without warning to join Foreman and Pamela, which caused Wilson to roll his eyes and followed reluctantly in tow.

Pamela noticed the unwelcome arrivals. She paused to look at them both with disdain.

"Well…we're waiting." House said impatiently.

"Oh to hell with it, you aren't going to spoil my fun." Pamela ripped open the envelope and pulled out the packet inside. She made sure that only she and Foreman could see the contents of the top page spelling out the latest terms.

In unison, both of them moved their eyes down the page, silently mouthing key words contained in the letter. They reached the important part at the same time, both their eyes bulging out and jaws dropping so far they started drooling.

"I'm, er, how can I, uh, wow….I'm going to accept this now." Pamela shakily told Foreman.

"House, I quit." Foreman said and followed a rushing Pamela out the door.

House and Wilson watched them leave in shock, then turned to each other. "Think it was a good offer?" Wilson asked.

---------------------------------------

The flooring store overwhelmed him as soon as he made it through the front entrance. The vast racks and plethora of selections were already messing with his desire, or increasing his lack of desire, for rugs. "Where do we start?" Chase asked.

"I'll start looking here, you take over there."

"How will I know what you like?"

"You pick something that you like. Show it to me and I'll give it approval or not."

Chase felt a trap coming. "It will likely be not. Really, I don't care what's on our floor. What you pick will make me happy."

Cameron's stern glare along with disapproving pout told him to shut up and do as he was told. "I'll be right over there."

Chase made his way over to a section of hanging rugs in the far corner of the store. While he was flipping through the less than eye appealing suggestions, he was surprised to find a small boy in between one of the rugs giggling.

"I didn't know this store sold small boys." He told the child with a surprised smile.

"Shhh, I don't want my mom to find me."

"Oh, well let me help you." Chase said, ready to play along. He closed the two rugs together to give the boy a nice hiding space. He paused for a few seconds, and then quickly opened the rugs again. "Are you still here?" he asked the boy, who laughed hysterically now. Chase closed the rugs again, and noticed movement at the bottom. He saw where the boy chose to hide next, and crept over to his position. There he pushed a rug out of the way, revealing the boy again. "I caught you!"

The boy's face was now red from giggling so much. He ducked behind the rugs and kept moving his position, only to be tracked down by Chase each time. They played their game for ten or fifteen minutes, when Chase heard a frantic voice calling out. "Jared! Where are you this time?"

She was startled to see Chase as she whipped around the corner. Chase smiled at her and pointed his finger toward the inside of the rugs. The woman rolled her eyes and yanked the boy out. "I can't take you anywhere."

The boy laughed harder and waved at Chase before being yanked around the corner by his mother. Chase held back his laughter until after they were clear out of sight. It wasn't long after that Cameron came around the corner. "Did you find anything?"

"I hadn't much chance to look. There was a boy in the rugs and we were playing."

Cameron rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand. "I can't take you anywhere."

--------------------------------------------

"That was a productive afternoon." Cameron felt like she had made a major conquest.

"I suppose so." Chase also learned something else valuable today. Never take a pregnant woman to a rug store. He had no idea the add-on cost of scotchguarding was so much. Stains made by children will come out easy. They had Cameron hooked with that sell. He never believed any miracle product could do that.

Chase and Cameron noticed the unfamiliar pickup truck in their driveway. "Does that truck look familiar to you?" Cameron asked.

Chase shook his head, confused as she was. "Maybe someone coming to see the old owners?"

They didn't see anyone at the front door so they walked into the back to see if the visitor was there. That's when they heard strange noises coming from their patio room. "Is that laughing?" A perplexed Cameron asked.

They stepped into the room and found a set of used patio furniture and three familiar faces. "How did you get in here and why is your patio set in our screen room?" Chase asked.

"Great to see you too Robert." Pamela said holding a half empty glass of champagne and laughing herself silly. "We're celebrating and decided your house is where we wanted to do it."

Cameron looked at the set of furniture. "So you brought over your patio set?"

"Your patio set." Foreman corrected her. "We bought a much nicer one. Luckily Jamal was available with his truck.

Jamal waved at them with a devilish grin. "Yo, how's it goin' mama?"

Chase shook his head and laughed. "So, you always make a habit of breaking into people's homes so you can give them your old stuff?"

"Only people we know. Why, you've never done that before?" Pamela and Jamal swapped an 'I don't get it' look. "Besides, I didn't notice any furniture out here. We are filling a need."

"Oh, and we 'need' your old junky furniture." Chase said.

"Damn straight you do. It beats the concrete. Now sit and get some champagne before I toss you out of your own house for being boring." Pamela obviously had a few while waiting.

They sat and Cameron noticed the bottle of sparkling apple juice sitting next to the real stuff. It still made her want to hurl. "I thought you were working today?" Cameron asked Foreman, who was relaxing next to Pamela and slightly intoxicated himself.

"I called in rich." Foreman downed what was left in his glass and went for a refill.

"You got the offer?" Chase asked, pleased to hear this development.

"Uh, huh," Pamela said. "Let's just say I've got a house husband for a while."

"You're quitting now?" Cameron asked Foreman.

"I'll work my two weeks, and then I'll need to do the work necessary to get the practice going since our practice consultant is going to be too busy making me a crap load of money. I'm also changing the damn wall color."

Cameron laughed. "What color are you going for?"

"Dark grape."

His choice didn't get any rise out of Pamela. "You don't have a problem with this?" Cameron asked her.

"He can do whatever he damn well pleases. As a matter of fact, we can afford now to hire a painter to paint it a different color each month. Nothing is bothering me right now."

"No pain, no pain." Jamal said. "So do I get to hang out at your house for a while?"

"No!" Pamela and Foreman both said in unison.

"We need to have a toast. We have a lot to celebrate today." Chase said. Pamela enthusiastically agreed and made sure everyone's glasses were full.

"To good fortune." Chase said as they raised their glasses.

"Good fortune? How boring." Pamela complained. "To winning at life."

No one could argue with that and drank up.

----------------------------------------------------

Chase heard the noise going on around him. It was a day off. Why wasn't he soundly sleeping? He opened his eyes to see Cameron frantically moving around the room. "What's up?

"We need to get packing. The movers will be here in a few days."

"More like next week. What's your hurry?"

"We have a ton to do, plus we still have jobs. This is the only day we have free to do this before the move."

Chase sunk his head back into the pillow. "I can't pack unless I'm well rested."

Cameron flashed that all too familiar look of contempt that seemed to have been permanently fixed on her face recently. Chase reluctantly got up. "Yes, let's get packing."

---------------------------------------------------------

Chase moped most of the way through emptying the dresser drawer. He made three piles, keep, give away, and don't pack yet. He didn't want to make any piles. He would prefer chucking it all in a box the morning the movers showed up. At least he was making Cameron happy.

Without warning, arms from behind him jerked him around and lips began devouring his mouth. He was once again caught with his guard down. How did she manage to do this to him? He should have expected this. This was the part of the pregnancy, especially a woman with twins, where the weight of the children let to increased blood flow down there. Her insatiable appetite for lust was worse than ever. They had to have 'lunch' together more these days and coming home usually resulted in an ambush. Still, given her mood from earlier, he wasn't expecting it. He surrendered though, knowing that once these children were born, he wouldn't be allowed to touch her for a very long time.

He tried to give himself time to warm up. He moved his lips slowly down her body, stopping at the sweet protrusion in her middle. He tried to kiss her there, but she had other ideas. She yanked him up and threw him on the bed, messing up the piles he had just created. "They don't need your attention yet. You're all mine." Cameron frigidly said before climbing on top of him and getting to work. He didn't have to worry about warming up anymore. When she got aggressive, he was good to go.

-----------------------

"Robert! I need your help!"

Chase dragged himself out of the bedroom. Cameron had constantly interrupted him all day to where he wasn't getting anything done. So far packing was turning out to be a huge act of futility.

"Can you get this for me?"

He examined the large box she packed. "What's in here?"

"Medical books. I need you to move it over there in the corner."

"It looks pretty heavy."

"Someone needs to lift it, and it can't be me."

Chase looked at the pile of boxes across the room. He only had to move it a few feet. "Okay. I'll give it a try." He bent over and grabbed the bottom of the two opposite corners before jerking upward. The blood-curdling scream that came next had to have startled the entire complex.

"What happened?" A stunned Cameron asked as she kneeled to assist Chase, who was on the floor writhing in pain.

"Call an ambulance."

"Is it that bad? Let me look at you."

"Need Percocet."

"You're in that much pain? Where are you on the pain scale?"

"11!"

"It can't be that bad. If it was, Percocet wouldn't help. You'd need morphine."

"We…have…Perocet…in…the…bathroom…not…morphine." He muttered in between deep breaths and groans of pain.

"You need an injection. You'd pass out from too much pain before the Perocet kicked in."

"I need…I need…I need-" His eyes rolled to the back of his head.

Cameron sighed over her unconscious spouse. "Wimp. You gave into the pain. Good thing you aren't having our babies. I guess I better get that ambulance now."

--------------------------------------------

Once the paramedics showed up with a shot of morphine, life was good again. His two minute fainting spell was his only known relief from the unbearable pain until that point.

"Where do you want to be transported Dr. Chase?" One of the paramedics asked.

"No hospital. I just need help getting to the couch."

The paramedic wasn't all that surprised by the answer. Doctors made the worst patients. "I don't think I need to tell you about the possible internal injuries."

"I hurt my back. I just need some rest."

"Why did you lose consciousness?"

"Because it hurt. It happens in cases of severe pain. My wife can prescribe some pain pills."

Cameron wasn't having any of that. "Oh I don't think so. He's going to Princeton Plainsboro."

"No I'm not."

"You can sign out of the hospital against medical advice later, but not until we scan for a ruptured abdominal viscera."

"I don't have an Inguinal Hernia!"

"Does your groin hurt?"

"Yes, but a back injury can cause that too."

Cameron was offended. "I went to medical school too and I'm surprised you would be this ignorant. These types of hernias can be stagnant for years and are very common in males. It's usually congenital. All it takes is something to aggravate it, like hmm, lifting an ungodly amount of weight?"

"You packed the damn box! Who the hell did you think I was, Hercules?!?" Chase stopped his shouting to wince in pain. The morphine took the edge off, but excitement aggravated his injury beyond the drug's reach. He took a breath and continued with a calmer tone. "A ruptured hernia shouldn't cause so much pain that I'd pass out."

"All the more reason to check for other complications."

Chase was ready to offer his counter argument, but the look on Cameron's unyielding face told him it was no use. "You check for it."

"Uh-hum," Cameron said to the paramedics, who turned around to give them privacy. Cameron unzipped his pants and lowered the band of his underwear to examine the groin. She spotted something and felt around a little, causing Chase squeamish discomfort. "There's a bulge."

"You sure you're not saying that to get me to go to the hospital?"

"You felt the pain. Go ahead, touch it yourself."

Chase dropped his head in defeat. "I believe you. Direct or Indirect?"

"Indirect."

"Damn." He zipped up his pants. "Why don't you can take me to the doctor tomorrow? This can be taken care of by a simple outpatient procedure."

"Can you get up and walk around?"

"No."

"Then you've got something else wrong with you."

The paramedics turned around, and both them and Cameron were glaring at him sternly with arms folded, awaiting his decision.

Chase reluctantly gave up. "Princeton Plainsboro."

------------------------------

**a/n: I start a 10 day vacation later this week, which involves a crap load of driving time. This will hopefully work to everyone's benefit, because I'll have my laptop with me and lots of free time to let the imagination run wild. Hopefully this will result in more frequent updates for a few weeks. No promises, but there's hope. **


	18. Moving Day, part 2

**a/n: Here it is, the moving saga continued. This is the product of my vivid imagination during a 14 hour car ride. Another outrageous one folks!**

**----------------------------**

Chase's worst nightmare happened about one hour after he arrived in the ER. It was early afternoon, so word about his presence got around fast. "I knew you'd be down here the second you heard."

House feigned offense. "I'm the best doctor in this hospital. You should be honored that you are getting such pristine care."

"My case is boring. You hate boring cases. You are only doing this as an opportunity for personal torment."

"That's ridiculous. Your wife is my treasured employee and she's worried about you."

"She already diagnosed me. She's not worried."

"Oh, she was when we saw this." House threw a scan onto the light board and turned it on.

Chase scoffed. "Those aren't my films. That's a cancerous prostate of an eighty year old man."

House frowned and took the film down. "Yeah, I couldn't fool Cameron with that either. You've got an Inguinal Hernia."

"No duh."

"Ah, but that's not the only thing. It seems that whatever damage you did to yourself has caused an incarceration of the intestine." House put up the correct scans. "You're scheduled for Herniorrhapy in a couple of hours before it becomes strangulated."

"Perfect." Chase said sarcastically. "That still doesn't explain the back pain."

"That's from a subluxation. You twisted your lower vertebrae in just the right way where the rupture of the Hernia combined with a pinched spinal nerve shot an overload of sensations to the pain centers of your brain. That's why you fell unconscious."

"So, I have a hernia and a back injury."

"Yep."

Chase dropped his head into his right hand. "I only tried to lift a damn box."

House laughed. "While that would be a great excuse, you know the hernia is congenital. It was a time bomb waiting to go off. You could have had the same issue trying to pick up a Kleenex at the wrong time. You can blame the box on your back though. What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking I must do what my overly emotional pregnant wife wanted me to do. Where is she anyway?"

"Going through forms with admissions. It seems you've never been a patient here before."

"That will take hours." Chase shook his head, realizing what a mess they were in. "I'm sure she's losing it. We're supposed to be moving in two days. This is going to put me out about four weeks."

"Six actually. Your back is in pretty bad shape." House said with glee.

"Gee thanks."

"So, since you are a very special patient, you get to pick. Local or general anesthesia?"

"General." Chase didn't hesitate with that answer.

"Are you sure? That will guarantee an overnight stay."

"I know. I'm in too much pain though and I could use the break from packing. Oh, by the way, it was your professional recommendation."

House wasn't pleased. "Why should I take the brunt of scorn from your wife?"

"You're the doctor. It's your job."

------------------------------------------------

"General anesthesia? If that happens he can't be discharged until noon tomorrow!" Cameron was livid. She was getting tired easily these days and wouldn't be able to make a dent in packing on her own.

"What a caring wife you are, and not a very cautious doctor." House said unashamedly. "He has a back injury too. We need to be careful."

Cameron wasn't convinced and got very upset. "I think you're doing this just to mess with us."

"Cameron," Foreman said from behind her, "House is right. There's no way he's going to be use to you before moving anyway."

"We have to be out of that apartment by Sunday. We have no choice." Cameron started to sway a little and held onto the back of a nearby chair.

Foreman rushed over to help her. "I'm okay," Cameron said. "It's just normal dizziness."

Foreman and House shared a slightly concerned look. "Dizziness like this, even in pregnancy, isn't that normal." Foreman said.

"It hasn't been that bad. I'm just getting my usual fatigue."

"Okay," Foreman said grabbing Cameron's arm, "time to go see Dr. Ades now."

"What about Robert? He's got surgery soon."

"I'll be there." House said. "Complete with camera for blackmail photos. Now go."

Foreman pulled Cameron along before she could give much of response.

House chuckled. Even General Hospital couldn't provide this kind of entertainment.

-----------------------------

"Where's Robert?" Dr. Ades asked as she felt the abdomen. "I saw Dr. Foreman out in the lobby."

"Surgery. He should be done soon."

"Robert's performing surgery?"

"No, he's having surgery done on him."

"Oh my, I hope it's not serious."

"No. They're fixing an Inguinal Hernia."

The doctor winced. "Ouch, he's going to be in pain for a little bit."

"Tell me about it. Movers will be at our apartment in less than 48 hours."

Dr. Ades finished the exam. "Sounds like he isn't the only one pushing himself. Your BP is a little high. Have you been tired lately?"

"Tired? More like unable to function some of the time. Sometimes I hit lows so bad I can't keep my eyes open."

"That's your body telling you to take it easy. Don't feel like you have to pack and unpack all those boxes yourself. Get help."

"There isn't anyone to help, especially with Robert out of commission."

"Allison…"

"Okay. I have a friend that might be able to help."

"There, that wasn't so hard, was it? I also noticed you haven't signed up for the childbirth class starting next week."

"Childbirth class? Do I have to take those?"

"Yes, Doctors have to take those too."

"I've seen enough deliveries."

"Yes, but you've never been through the pain personally. Those classes teach you among other things how to manage the pain during labor."

"Isn't my case different with twins?"

"Nope. You and Robert need to work together on your childbirth plan. This class prepares you for that."

"I don't know if we will have time."

"It sounds like Robert will be plenty available for the next few weeks. You can make the time, even if it takes a doctors excuse. It's only one hour for the next four weeks."

"Fine, I'll sign us up before I leave."

"Good. You're doing okay, but it doesn't take much to push yourself. Rest when you are tired, and find someone else to handle the moving duties."

Cameron sadly nodded and headed out for the lobby, but not before signing up for the class.

"You look better," Foreman said. "So everything checked out?"

"Yes, I just need to take it easy. Foreman, is Pamela-"

"Already taken care of. She doesn't start her new job until Monday and is on her way to your apartment now. No one is better at kamikaze packing."

"Kamikaze? Is that a fancy term for randomly chucking things into boxes?"

"Yep."

Cameron lowered her head in defeat. "I'm too tired to care anymore. Let's go check on Robert."

------------------------------------------------------

Chase was scared to open his eyes. From the voices he heard, he was either going to face a snarling Allison or a malevolent House. Nonetheless, his stir was spotted.

"Robert?" Cameron asked, who switched to caring mode.

He weakly smiled. "I don't feel any pain."

Cameron knew exactly why as she looked over at House, who was cranking up the morphine. "You're welcome!" House shouted.

"I'm assuming I still have my balls intact." Chase said, still very groggy.

"Yep, everything went well."

"Sorry, but anytime a surgeon cuts along your scrotum, everything is not 'well'" House said, cringing at the thought. "You're practically a girl now Chase."

"Shut up House!" Cameron snapped. "Lucky for you the surgical team wouldn't allow him in with his camera."

"How are you doing?" Chase asked Cameron choosing to ignore House. "You look very tired."

"I'm good. Cuddy arranged a bed for me over there if I got too bad. It helps to have connections I guess."

"We need to postpone the move."

"That's already been taken care of. We have nothing to worry about. The hide-a-bed sofa we bought will be delivered this evening so that you can go straight to our new home tomorrow and have a place to rest."

Chase laughed. "Pamela's moving our stuff, isn't she?"

"You got it."

"Okay, enough harassing my patient." House said ending this boring conversation. "You, it's nap time!" He pointed to Cameron, then the extra bed. "You, back to sleep." He ordered Chase.

Chase and Cameron both laughed over House's antics while giving each other a loving gaze. Cameron leaned over and kissed him. "Sleep well."

Chase stared at House who was towering over him. "You waiting for me to kiss you next?" House asked.

"Good night House." He said smiling, before closing his eyes.

"You two are both pathetic." House said just before he walked out the door.

-----------------------

"Good morning Dr. Chase," Cuddy said, walking in with a smile. "Since Dr. House is performing his required clinic duty, I'll be handling your discharge today. Ready to go home?"

Chase smiled at her friendly greeting. He was already dressed to leave, but getting clothes on was a huge struggle. He knew the stiffness in his back would improve once he moved around a little. "I understand congratulations are in order." He pointed to her hardened mid-section.

"Yes, thank you. Lucky for me, no twins at the ultrasound."

"That's good," Chase said, before noticing Cameron's unhappy face. "Not to say I'm not glad it's happening to us. So how have you been feeling?"

"Great actually. I haven't been getting sick and I still have plenty of energy. If it wasn't for the growing belly, I wouldn't know I was pregnant at all."

Chase held back a laugh when he saw the insanely jealous glare coming from Cameron.

"Everything seems to be in order." Cuddy said going through the chart. "I see House has prescribed a strong dose of Percocet for the next few days."

"I tried to convince House to give him something else," Cameron said bitterly, "but he wouldn't hear it."

"I happen to agree with him," Chase replied. "I don't want to feel pain." Chase of course failed to mention that he was the one that told House what he wanted, but no one needed to know that info.

"Last time you were on Percocet you were loopier than a bucket of eels on a Ferris wheel. It doesn't have a good effect on you."

"Loopier than what?"

"I don't know, something my grandfather always used to say. The bottom line is, you can't function well."

"This is worse than that root canal. I really need something powerful this time." Actually, it wasn't much worse, for pain from a tooth nerve gone bad was the worst thing he ever felt before this. He learned from that experience the best solution to managing unbearable pain, despite the weird side effects.

"I won't question House on this one." Cuddy said. "Since you both are doctors, you'll know if there are problems. You are free to go at anytime."

"Thanks. We are just waiting for Foreman to get here."

"Both of you take care of yourselves." Cuddy said just before she left. Chase and Cameron gave her their goodbyes, then let a few quiet seconds pass in silence before giving each other a strange glance.

"Why would anyone take a bucket of eels on a Ferris wheel?" He asked.

"It's an expression!"

---------------------------------------

"It's a good thing Pamela was available today." Cameron said.

"It's Saturday. She gets these days off." Chase grumpily replied. The Percocet had worn off, and he couldn't take more for another 30 minutes. He wasn't about to pop pills at will like House, especially ones with oxycodone in them.

They sat on their new couch which was in the front living room and both had big comfortable pillows supporting their aching backs. The sun streamed through the large curtain-less bay window, making it very bright, actually overwhelming. So much so they had their sunglasses on.

"You sure you don't want to chance it?" Cameron asked coyly.

"There are stitches in my scrotum. You're going to have to relieve yourself."

"I guess that's not too hard." She said pouting. "The sensation is so bad down there all I have to do is wiggle in my seat a little. It's more fun with you though."

"I had surgery less than 48 hours ago. I can't believe you're even suggesting it."

"You've got to start using it again sometime."

"No!"

She folded her arms and tried to calm her urges. Nothing seemed to work. "You look hot in those sunglasses."

"No!"

"Okay. Men can be so cranky when they get their balls tampered with."

"You think?" Chase spouted sardonically.

They sat in further silence, both suffering over their maladies, waiting patiently for the sign of a truck.

"You think Pamela had problems?" Cameron asked, breaking the silence.

"She would have called."

"I'm wondering if she had them stop by her place to get more of her old furniture to give to us."

That got a laugh out of both Chase and Cameron, just before they both grabbed their lower extremities in pain.

Cameron gave him a friendly smile and grabbed his knee. "Happy new home."

"No!"

-------------------------------------------

"It's about time you got here. We thought you had them stop by your house get some of your furniture." Cameron harped as she greeted Pamela outside.

"Sorry dear, but moving takes time. Go on inside and tell them where to put stuff. I've got things under control out here." Pamela replied with a cheerful grin.

Cameron went inside and Pamela stopped a mover walking by. "Don't bring my living room set through the front door. There's a side door for where it goes in the basement." She instructed in a low voice.

A few minutes later Chase came out walking stiffly but with a happy smile and glazed eyes. "You took your happy pills." She said with cheerful delight.

"Yep. I still won't let Allison touch me though."

Pamela's face cringed. "That's a bit too much information for me. Why don't you go back inside and point to the movers where things are supposed to go."

"Gotcha." He wandered carefree back inside.

Foreman's car pulled up in front of the house while Pamela was watching the movers. "Hey there baby." She gave him a kiss.

"Are Chase and Cameron inside?"

"Don't go in there. They are both off their rockers. At least Robert's is drug induced."

Foreman chuckled. "House instructed me to give him full descriptions of how spacey Chase acted during the move. I better go watch him so I can give my report."

He came in just in time to watch Chase point a mover holding a large floor lamp toward the kitchen. "Hey Foreman." Chase said with a minor slur and a lazy smile.

Foreman laughed at Chase's impaired state. "Hey there. My guess is you are feeling no pain."

"Not a bit."

"You have no idea what's going on, do you?"

"Not a freaking clue."

"Robert!" Came Cameron's voice shouting from upstairs. "Why did you send a box of silverware into the master bedroom??"

"You go sit down." Foreman said guiding Chase part way into the front room. "I've got his under control."

A mover came in with a box marked "stuff" looking at Foreman for guidance. "That's a kamikaze box. Those you can put wherever the hell you feel like."

------------------------------------------------

"Pamela?"

"Yes dear?" She replied to Cameron with the same smile that had been plastered on her face all day.

"Your living room set is in my basement."

"No, it's in my living room."

"Sorry, I should have clarified. Your old living room set is in my basement."

"Oh, that set. Yes, I believe it is."

"I thought you said that-"

"It will be perfect for kids to ruin. You should go lie down. You look very tired."

"I can't rest. My home is in disarray, most boxes are only marked "stuff" and are sitting everywhere containing just about anything, my husband is stoned out of his mind, and I just burned through all the toilet paper in the bathroom and have no idea where more is. I don't like drip drying."

"You and Robert with the TMI. I'll find something that will work to avoid drying tragedies. You need to prop your feet up on the chaise lounge in the screen porch. I can personally verify it's perfect for naps and the fresh air will do you good. The movers are almost done and I'll send them on their way."

Cameron nodded and headed back inside. Chase came back out a few minutes later. He seemed slightly more coherent than before, but still not quite right. "Is there something I can help you with Robert?"

"There's a big floor lamp in the middle of my kitchen."

"A new home decorating fad. Everyone's doing it. Your wife is resting on the screen porch. Why don't you join her?"

Chase nodded and went back inside.

Foreman came out next.

"Unless you want to tell me about a giant man eating banana in the bathroom, I don't want to hear it." Pamela said finally removing her smile.

"Those two are a mess. They are in no shape for moving."

"I'm sorry, that doesn't sound like, 'I don't want to hear it!'"

"There's a giant man eating banana in the bathroom."

"That's better. Tell me all about it."

-----------------------------------------------------------

Chase woke up to the feeling of biting pain. He opened his eyes to find himself stretched out on a lounge chair on his screen porch, with the early evening sun bouncing off the front of the house, creating significant shade over his backyard. He looked over to find Cameron still asleep over in her lounge chair. "Oh yeah, what a great moving day." He muttered to himself.

He realized he would have to walk through his house to get his bottle of pain relief. He wondered if fighting the pain would be better. He was tiring of not having control of his mind. Another sharp stab after adjusting himself in the seat answered that question.

He carefully raised himself up out of the chair. The agony got exponentially worse. He moved at a snail's pace into the kitchen and found Foreman and Pamela unpacking a box of dishes. "You found our plates?"

"Yes, they were buried underneath your winter coats and athletic equipment in a box in the baby nursery. We can eat the Chinese food we got now."

Chase turned a nice shade of green when he saw the food and the smell hit his nose. "Thanks, but my stomach isn't very settled. Are you going to eat Chinese food with your fingers?"

"No, Cameron found the silverware earlier in the master bedroom. She was yelling at you over that." Foreman reminded him.

"That really happened? I thought I dreamed that."

"I'll get you some more pills. They can't be that bad if they made you that happy." Foreman retreated to the front room.

"Damn you look like hell." Pamela observed.

"Good, because I feel like it. I guess this wasn't the smoothest move in the world."

"Not by a long shot." Pamela wholeheartedly agreed.

Chase leaned on the island and ran his fingers through his disheveled hair. "Thank you for doing this. We should have delayed the move as soon as I ended up in the hospital."

"No, there was no point in that. You just needed a little help. Of course unpacking will be a nightmare for you, so good luck with that."

Chase laughed, and then grabbed his back in pain. "No humor until after I've had my drugs." He pointed toward the screen porch. "She's been getting pretty tired lately. This stress isn't good on her."

"It's not good on you either. You only got out of the hospital yesterday."

"I'll be better in a few days. For her, it's only going to get worse before it gets better."

"I believe there is a cure for pregnancy. You just need to wait a few extra weeks."

Foreman came in with the Percocet. "Happiness has arrived."

"Thanks. Monday I start with a chiropractor. Until then, it's euphoric bliss for me." He popped a pill into his mouth.

"Monday is also when we start childbirth classes." Cameron said coming in from the other room.

"We start what?" Chase replied.

"Oh, didn't I tell you about that? Oh yeah, you were in surgery when I had to sign us up. Ooh, Chinese food!"

Chase shook his head, wishing desperately for the drugs to kick in quickly.

Cameron loaded up her plate and started shoveling food in her mouth at a furious pace. "You found the plates." She muttered with her mouth full.

Chase couldn't take anymore. "If watch her eat I'm going to hurl. I can't get sick until the drugs kick in. I'll be in the other room."

Cameron was concerned, but Pamela and Foreman laughed. "He'll be just fine in fifteen minutes," Foreman said. "Better than the rest of us."


	19. Preparation

**a/n: I know, I know, I fell behind in updates again. This time I have a great reason! While on vacation, I wrote a lot. I have the next three chapters written. It just took me a while to piece this together in a logical order. I hope to update twice a week for the next few weeks. We are getting closer to the birth! This is a nice transition chapter that starts building up to the big moment. **

**-----------------------**

Chase hobbled down the stairs after waking up alone in their new bedroom. It was worth it to him to risk aggravation of his injury last night so he could finally sleep in his own bed. He didn't care if they still couldn't find the sheets. He had stayed in bed for a little while, negotiating in his mind the long haul down the stairs, but knew Cameron was probably frantic by now. He took each stair one by one slowly, thus avoiding jarring pain.

As expected, he heard familiar crying. After all they'd been through the last few days, he should hear crying. He put his arms around his hysterical wife, who was sitting at the bottom on the stairs, and rubbed her back offering a comforting 'there-there'. Given the state of the two rooms they saw on each side of them, with half unpacked boxes and their belongings scattered everywhere like a tornado just blew through, he should be crying too. "I see Pamela got started with the unpacking."

"Got started? Getting started would imply that she actually accomplished something. All she's done is create a huge mess." Cameron was not feeling gracious right now.

"She meant well. You do remember how she bailed us out, don't you? I'll be at home for the next four weeks. I'll be able to chip away at this slowly. My back is already better today."

"What about down there?"

"Swollen like a balloon and hurts like hell. I took more drugs before coming down here."

"Great, another day of ignorant bliss for you. Too bad I can't take those in my condition." Cameron could have continued with harder weeping, but realized it would only be an admission that the hormones were winning. She calmed herself by letting out a deep sigh and looked at the mass piles surrounding her. "How are you going to have time to unpack? You and Foreman are supposed to work on getting the practice started."

"I can unpack in between all that. If I let that be my entire day, I'll be insane before the office opens."

"Is the office going to be ready in four weeks?"

"We hope so. The network contract starts in four weeks, so we have little choice."

"I'm still suspicious how your hernia puts you out the same amount of time as to the start of the contract. No one cried foul over at Princeton General?"

"Oh, you mean my dastardly plan of trying to pick up a box and cause massive double injury to myself at exactly the right moment? Yeah, they saw through my evil disguise and called me out on it. They thought the surgery and orders from House were a nice touch."

Cameron wasn't buying his sardonic speech. "It is a strange coincidence."

"For your information, House wanted me out for six weeks. I had to talk him down to four with limited duty after that."

"You see?? It wasn't a coincidence. You've been caught." She smiled with satisfaction.

"I give up. I can never win, can I?" Chase got up gingerly and stared at the wreckage surrounding him. "How did we get into this mess?"

Cameron grabbed her right rib, feeling the blunt strike from inside of what was likely a tiny foot. "Easy. This is all your fault."

--------------------

Wilson put the finishing touches on the salmon just before serving it to his date. Forget date, she was now a constant companion. He stopped short of saying the word 'girlfriend'. After all, this wasn't high school.

_Fresh orange peel_. He searched through the refrigerator crisper for the garnish that would perfect his creation. He learned long ago maintaining his cooking skill was the best way to please a woman.

"Wow, you did all this in just twenty minutes?" Cuddy asked when the plate was put in front of her. Her salmon sat on top of a bed of steamed asparagus, glazed with a citrus sauce and served with a side of seasoned cous cous.

"It's a very easy dish to make. It has all the vital nutrients needed by a mother to be."

"This looks wonderful. Thanks for agreeing to come to my home and cook for me."

"Thanks for letting me. I needed the distraction." Wilson replied as he took his place at the table. He even thought to serve them both two tall glasses of fresh cold milk.

Cuddy made a few different joyous moans as she took a bite of her dinner. Why didn't she hire him as a personal chef?

Wilson smiled, pleased to see how happy he was making her as he pushed a fork into his meal.

Cuddy took a little more time in silence to enjoy her dinner, but decided she had to bring this up sometime. "What did he say to you?"

"Nothing, he isn't speaking to me."

Cuddy sighed, guessing as much. "You know he's just waiting for the right opportunity to get back at you, or me, or both of us."

"I can handle anything he dishes out at me. I'm concerned about you and the baby."

"I know how to deal with House."

"This is a whole new ballgame. This isn't trying to force him to do clinic duty against his will. He'll surprise you with his spite. He'll surprise me too, but it won't be the first time."

"Then what do we do?"

Wilson let out a deep breath, not sure if he was up for this. "I'm afraid Lisa, we are going to have to let him in."

"Let him in?"

"Let him play whatever role he wants to play. Whenever he falls short, I'll cover the rest."

Cuddy smiled. "You are talking about with the baby?"

Wilson chuckled, realizing what she was implying. "Yes, the baby. I think you and I both will easily draw lines elsewhere."

"I don't know. He will use his standing as the father to get back at us for our relationship. He will do everything he can to break us apart and makes us suffer."

"Then this will be a good test for us. If we can deal with him, we can deal with anything." He glanced up at Cuddy, realizing she wasn't feeling as assured. She had a good reason to feel that way.

"He's not going to like having rules dictated to him." Cuddy said.

"We will have to work on him slowly, give him time to see reason."

"Oh yeah, that so worked for us before."

"If he doesn't play nice, it's his loss. He's going to have to decide for himself."

Cuddy wasn't sure. "This baby is due in 21 weeks."

"Then it's time to have a talk."

--------------------

Childbirth classes for two doctors is much like college graduates being forced to take a refresher course years later on new math. You have no idea how the rules have changed.

"Welcome, I'm Martha Burnett and I'm the class instructor. Are you the two doctors I was warned about?"

"Yes, how did you guess?" Cameron asked.

"You are the last ones here and everyone already introduced themselves. Please take a seat. We are getting started soon."

They joined everyone in the circle of chairs and sat down next to another couple, a rather young woman and a middle aged man. "You both are doctors?" The young woman asked after overhearing the introduction. "Have you ever delivered a baby before?"

Cameron could tell right away the man didn't marry her for her brains. "I've been present at a few births before, but never have been the doctor in charge of the delivery. My husband has though." Cameron did her best to hold back a snicker, trying to see what sort of questions Chase would get.

"Really? How hard was it on the mother? Was she in pain a really long time?"

"No, but it was her seventh child so it slid through her canal like it was on a water slide."

That comment got the attention of everyone else in the room, including a couple of gasps. "You were her doctor?" Another pregnant woman asked.

"She came into the ER with the baby's head already half out when I was covering a shift. It took all of five minutes. She had her other kids in the mini-van and was filling up her car at the gas station when something went really wrong. She was only a few minutes from the hospital when it happened, otherwise she would have delivered in the car."

That caused a few more squirms from the other pregnant women in the room. "She didn't go into labor?" Another woman asked.

"No, that happens in some cases. You are just minding your own business and then 'bam!' the baby is coming out. It can happen anywhere." Chase of course didn't share that these were rare and isolated cases, but he did enjoy seeing the eyes in the room grow huge in paranoia.

"You have an accent." The man next them said.

"I'm Australian."

The young woman with the man perked up in interest. "You are? Tell me, are babies born different in other countries like Australia?" Chase glanced around the room at all eyes on him. Half were interested in the answer, the other half saw the stupidity of the question.

He decided this would be a good time for some fun. "Yes, as a matter of fact. In Australia, they have a machine that assists in the birth. Every 30 seconds, it goes 'ping!'"

The woman was fascinated. "Australia sounds really different. Aren't babies carried in pouches there?"

The husband rolled his eyes, knowing he didn't marry her for her brains. "You're confused again dear. Only animals like kangaroos put their young in natural pouches. There aren't human pouches for babies." He turned back to Chase. "That machine sounds pretty cool though. Why doesn't this hospital have one of those, what are they called?"

"The machine that goes 'ping!' It's new technology not adopted in this country." Chase sensed the man knew he was lying through his teeth.

The man laughed. "Funny, I remember hearing about one of those machines around 1980. You were probably born with one of them."

Chase responded with his own laughter, realizing the man picked up on his comical reference. "Yes, you're right. I guess that puts us behind."

The man giggled harder, leaving his wife and most of the room very perplexed over what was happening. "I'll explain it later dear."

The instructor broke up the fun signaling that class was to begin. "Try not to pay attention to the two doctors in the room. They are about to learn what they are in for just like the rest of you."

-------------------

"What do you two want?" House asked, not at all happy to see his unwelcome visitors.

Cuddy was about to ask for permission in, but Wilson just led them forward into the apartment. House didn't resist, but didn't show any signs of letting up with the evil eye either.

"You two here to announce your engagement?" House said with a frosty voice.

"We are here to give you options. Either you act or you don't. We will accept whatever you choose." Cuddy said, choosing not to make herself very comfortable. She didn't think this would take long.

"I think I'm the one that should be giving you options. Actually I've only got one. Leave!"

Cuddy wasn't about to be intimidated. "The baby is yours. I'll list you on the birth certificate as the dad only if you tell me to."

"That's my option? I get an official title of dad? Does that come with something for my wall? Put Wilson down if all you want is to coronate someone with legal standing."

"If your name goes on the certificate, you get to be a dad whenever you want or whenever you don't want. I personally think you will avoid the kid like the plague, but any requests at access you might make would be taken seriously."

"What about Wilson's access?"

"He's my partner through all this. He's going to classes and appointments with me and will be there at delivery."

"He will until you cut off his nookie."

"Unlike you, James takes a commitment seriously."

"James?" House started laughing. "What, not Jimmy? Where are the cutesy pet names? I like using schnookums myself." He threw a kiss in the air and winked at Wilson, who just ignored him.

Cuddy felt her anger rise, but remained calm. "I knew it would boil down to jokes. I didn't expect an answer right away. You have until the baby is born."

House turned to Wilson, not appreciating his silence. "Come on, where's the big speech about what a disappointment I am?"

"You're not disappointing me. You're meeting expectations." Wilson replied.

"Get out!" House shouted at both of them. They both looked at each other wondering if there was anything left to say. There wasn't.

"We are trying to be fair." Cuddy said standing in the doorway.

"Nothing in life is fair." He slammed the door just as Cuddy and Wilson were on the other side.

-------------------------

Cameron threw her purse down on the kitchen counter, still seething mad from the car ride home. "How dare you even make such a suggestion?"

"The doctor in you isn't thinking logically." Chase argued. "You know pushing will be easier and faster, there is less risk of complications and your recovery will be easier."

"I can't believe you actually want me to consider natural childbirth. That is like training for a marathon for nothing more than pride. The babies are the same in my arm with or without it. Here's a great reason against it, the pain is ten times as worse!!!"

"Which is what the childbirth classes are doing. Teaching you to effectively manage pain during delivery."

"I'm not going through labor without an epidural! Fifty percent of all multiple pregnancies go via c-section anyway, so at least the anesthesia would already be administered."

Chase couldn't believe she would bring up such an idea. "That number is much lower for twins. Is that what you want?"

"No," she muttered. "I don't have to put myself through unnecessary pain though."

"I've seen you wince at all the spinal taps we've had to do. I can't believe you want a drug administered like that. You will lose your mobility, and it will require constant fetal monitoring. You also lose control of your body and it will only relieve pain, not eliminate it."

"I won't have control anyway thanks to the agony these children are going to put me through. You aren't the one that has to push these critters through a small hole. You couldn't handle simultaneous back and groin pain without something powerful, what makes you think I have to?"

"It's not the same thing. My pain lasted for several days. Yours will only be for a few hours. Besides, there is more than your comfort at stake here. If a complication arises like your blood pressure dropping or you not being able to push, forceps will be needed. How is that good for the babies? Granted that is worst case, but this has been anything but a smooth pregnancy."

Cameron frowned, having no good counter-argument against that. "Fine, I'll talk with Dr. Ades and get her professional opinion. I still say those drugs serve their purpose."

Chase ran his fingers over her right hand. "Thank you. I'm not saying go without pain management, narcotics are commonly used, I'm just asking don't do something so extreme."

"We have plenty of time to consider this." She replied, ending the heated discussion.

Cameron walked into the family room, which was perfectly clean and organized. They resolved to have at least one room in the house declared a clutter free zone. The rest could wait. That way, if they got overwhelmed, they had a happy place to retreat to. Their plan wasn't pitch perfect until a few hours ago when they finally found the TV remote.

Both of them gingerly sank onto the couch, adjusting pillows behind their aching backs. Cameron didn't find her position comfortable, so she stretched herself sideways onto his lap and admired the comfortable room surrounding them. A sad smile fell on her face.

"Is something wrong?" Chase asked.

"All this talk about delivery tells me it's finally going to happen sooner than later."

"Isn't that exciting?"

"I'm excited about getting these things out of me. I can't wait for that day. I can't wait to get my body back."

"Then what is it?"

"We are also that much closer to being parents. That still scares the crap out of me."

"I know, me too. We need to handle this just like we did when we first started with House."

Cameron raised her head and turned to look at him, thinking he had lost his mind. "Make it up as we go along??"

"Hey, it's the best I can come up with." Chase shrugged before smiling.

Cameron put her head back down and took another minute for reflection. "You think it's time to get the nursery ready?"

"I think that's a great idea."

"We'll have to pick neutral colors."

Chase didn't like that suggestion. "Green and yellow? No shade in either of those colors sounds appealing. I'd rather just do blue and pink. That way we cover our tracks."

"Blue in a room with two girls?"

"Girls like blue, and it's not two girls."

"How about we buy white furniture and save the wall colors for later."

"It's easier to paint first."

"No one paints when the sex of the baby is unknown, unless you go neutral."

Chase shook his head, realizing they were going in circles. "Fine, we'll wait." After thinking for a few more minutes, he came to a bigger realization. "Wall colors are the least of our worries. We have nothing. No car seats, strollers, clothes, bottles, rattles, cribs, blankets, nothing."

Cameron laughed. "If these kids came tomorrow, we're screwed."

Chase dropped whatever smile was on his face. "No tempting fate. Our luck with mishaps has been less than stellar."

"Oh lighten up. We're fine."

He grabbed her chin and looked at her seriously. "No more medical emergencies, please?"

"I don't know, the odds have been against us lately." Cameron was joking, but the fact that she didn't mention the reason for the visit to her doctor while he was in surgery did cross her mind.

"I'm not sure I can take anymore." Chase pleaded.

"Okay, calm down. I promise to be careful, but I'm not speaking for these kids."

Chase leaned over to Cameron's huge belly. "This is your father. No more surprises, hear me?"

Cameron laughed again. "I never listened to my father. What makes you sure they will listen to you?"

Chase's chin sunk in defeat. "Yeah, I never listened to my dad either. They're going to do what they want. It's in the blood."

---------------------------------

**a/n: Since you all have been so wonderful to me, I'll give you a preview for the next chapter in two words. Baby shower. **


	20. The Baby Shower

**a/n: I told you there would be a few extra updates coming! Here it is, finally tweaked to my satisfaction, the baby shower. It's a long one. **

**I'm not sure if anyone remembers the character of Ramone, but he was in the Christmas party chapter (17) in Take the Ducklings Bowling. He makes a big return here. I hope the chapter lives up to expectations. **

---------------------------------------

"What type of business do you have at the hospital today?" Cameron was surprised by Pamela's sudden offer of lunch and wasn't about to turn it down. She was very sluggish and since Foreman was gone, being the only doctor on House's team was taking its toll. She wasn't getting a moment's peace and was finding it impossible to keep up.

"Oh, boring stuff," Pamela replied. "I'm meeting with a bunch of personnel in billing over new coding procedures. It blows."

"Hey, Pamela!" A nurse said as she passed by.

"How's it going sweetie?"

"You know that person?" Cameron wasn't surprised that after two weeks on the job Pamela was making friends.

"Her, I met her once, but I can't remember her name."

"Hi Pamela! Great dress." Another passerby said.

"Thanks much."

"Do you-"

"Nope, no clue who that is either.

"The cafeteria is this way." Cameron said, noticing Pamela's wrong turn.

"I know. I just need to make a quick stop this way first. You know, important administrator stuff."

Pamela opened the door to a large training room. The lights were off, so she reached inside, turned them on, and then let Cameron go in first.

"Surprise!!!!!" A generous crowd of people shouted.

Cameron almost went into labor right there. She saw people in party hats, balloons everywhere, and ribbons of blue and pink hanging off the ceiling with mini storks dotting them. There was a huge selection of food and drinks on one side and a pile of gifts on the other. "This is for me?"

"Oh come on," Pamela said. "You knew I was capable of doing this. Those children in you must be messing with your reasoning."

Cameron, still in shock, put a smile on her face and started moving through the crowd greeting everyone.

"Congratulations Dr. Cameron." One after another told her as she passed by.

"Thanks. Glad to see you here." That exchange went on until she and Pamela reached the food table.

"Who are these people?" Cameron asked very softly through a clenched smile.

"I don't know. You have worked here for over three years. You don't know any of them?"

"Several faces look familiar, but I don't know them personally. I don't remember anyone's names."

"Read the badge. It works for me." Pamela suggested.

"What was the guest list criterion?"

"I found a grossly underutilized food fund in the budget, so I tapped into it."

"You were able to justify that expense for my baby shower?"

"Oh, this isn't a baby shower. It is a nursing staff appreciation luncheon. They were just asked to bring baby gifts and decorate the room in baby theme."

Cameron shook her head while laughing. "How is it that I'm still surprised by the things you do?" She looked at the huge selection of premium lunch items. The large chilled shrimp was definitely a bonus. "This entire spread is very elaborate. It seems you went all out."

"I had to show the staff they were appreciated."

"Pamela!" A voice shouted from across the room. "You've got to listen to this story."

Pamela nodded, indicating she was on her way over. "Now mingle. Share your moving story. People love laughing at pain and misfortune." She headed toward the crowd that summoned her.

"Great." Cameron said to herself.

Nurse Brenda worked her way over to Cameron. "So, are you surprised?"

"I'll say. I'm so overwhelmed by all this."

"You have no idea who most of these people are, do you?"

"No, not a clue."

Brenda laughed. "Beware, a lot of the people in this room are very fond of your husband. Just remember no matter what delusion some of them might be under, you won."

"Thanks for the warning, but I still get strange looks almost everyday. I've gotten used to it."

"Good, then you can handle this crowd. Since it's your shower, I'll help you out. Time for introductions." She started pulling a reluctant Cameron through the room.

--------------------------------------------

"Lisa, you're looking mighty motherly." Pamela said as Cuddy walked in.

"Thank you. I had to check out your appreciation luncheon. This is quite a party."

"Oh, you know me. I tend to go all out." Pamela kept a big smile painted on her face, wanting to give the appearance of a gracious host.

"So the theme is babies."

"This one is, yes."

Cuddy knew she couldn't protest too much since Pamela her superior, but this was not something she would have approved if given a choice. "So, is this what my staff appreciation lunch will be like?"

"Hard to say, I'll have to check the budget when the time comes around."

"Pamela, I know you're doing your job but-"

"Look Lisa, I asked the nurses if they wanted to do something like this with a lunch I planned on giving them anyway. Since most of them are very fond of Robert and love babies, they had no problem with this. They want to celebrate something happy."

"Okay, if you say so."

Pamela kept up her smile while talking through the cracks of her teeth.

"Nice attitude. I'm sorry I took a position that you probably deserved more, but there are two reasons why you don't want this job. You hate Jerry Anderson, and you have bigger priorities in life right now."

Cuddy put on her own fake smile. "Pamela, I'm not making this personal, but take a word of advice from one administrator to another. If you make friends too quickly, they won't take you seriously."

"Thanks Lisa, but I know how to handle people. This is a party, so let's take time to enjoy it. You look hungry. The food is that way."

Cuddy nodded, agreeing she had enough of this conversation as well and headed for the food line. Pamela freshened up her smile, fluffed her hair and found another person to greet.

----------------------------------------

"Can I have everyone's attention?" The male voice shouted from the center of the room.

"What's Ramone up to?" Cameron asked Pamela.

"He's in charge of shower games."

"You put Ramone in charge of games?"

"Brenda did, but it was a great suggestion. The boy has seven nieces. He knows exactly what he's doing. He's thrown six showers for his sisters."

"This will be interesting." Cameron knew Ramone liked to go over the top with everything.

Ramone started addressing the crowd. "First, I see many of you still have your clothes pins. So either all of you are very disciplined or you aren't playing the game right. I thought I would throw in an incentive. Pamela, what do you have to offer the winner?"

"The afternoon off paid."

That got the crowd's attention. The look of fierce competition suddenly started blazing in everyone's eyes.

"Clothes pins?" Cameron asked.

"Yeah, you didn't get one because you are the only person allowed to say the word 'b-a-b-y'. If anyone is caught saying that word, someone can ask them for their clothes pin. The one with the most wins."

"What word was that again?"

"You aren't getting my clothespin."

Cameron shrugged. "I had to try. I can tell you've generated some cutthroat competition. Great morale boost."

"It's called fun dear, try it sometime."

Ramone continued with his announcements. "Also, if you haven't filled out your cards for the jar game, the open jars are still on that back table. Everyone gets a small departing gift for filling out an entry."

That spurned a rush of people to the back table.

"Dare I ask?" Cameron said.

"There are 10 baby food jars sitting out with the lids and labels removed. You need to guess what each one is. Tasting is allowed if you're that desperate."

"What's the parting gift?"

"A Princeton-Plainsboro refrigerator magnet."

"Oh yeah, that's worth it."

"It has emergency numbers on it. It's good for the kids."

"Can't they get one of those anyway?"

"Shh, I can't give away the farm here."

Cameron threw Pamela a glare of contempt. "Oh, lighten up, they get a small box of chocolates too. What sort of a monster administrator do you think I am?"

Ramone carried on once the crowd settled. "Also, on this table are the crayons and paper. This doesn't have to just be for artistic people, stick figures work just as well. It's all for the scrapbook."

"What's that all about?" Cameron asked.

"They've been asked to draw what either of the babies will look like. I've seen some of the pictures. They aren't half bad, although most of them look like pictures of Robert."

Cameron looked over at the table. "What's that picture hanging up in the middle?"

"Oh, that's for you. Ramone's special friend Karl is quite a wizard with computer photo editing, so I got them yours and Robert's hospital picture on file and he blended them together for a 'what if they mated' type picture. It's really funny!"

"That sounds creepy."

"No, it's great. It's really interesting how if you put two pretty people together, you don't get a prettier person by far. The result is quite ugly."

"Thanks, I can't wait to take it home."

"Okay, at this time, can Dr. Cameron please come to the center of the room?"

Cameron worked her way over, her face turning a deeper shade of red as she got closer.

"Dr. Cameron, we are going to have a little fun with you. How many weeks along are you now?" Ramone asked.

"Almost 28 weeks."

"Almost 28 weeks everyone. Look at the size of her now. She's quite the size of a house, isn't she?"

Everyone nodded in total agreement.

"We all know the popular shower game, guess the mother's size, but with this being a room full of medical professionals, many of us would easily be able to guess the fundal measurement now. So, the object is to guess her fundal size just before she pops. We have already arranged to get that from Dr. Chase. Everyone is allowed to examine closely and touch if you need to. No measuring though, that wouldn't be fair. All guesses to the millimeter."

Cameron didn't enjoy the idea of being manhandled too much, but these were nurses so they would know how to behave. At least she hoped.

"I have a sheet right here on the table. Write down your guess. Pamela, what does the winner get?"

Pamela needed to have a talk with Ramone about exceeding the number of prizes allowed. For now though, she had enough intangible ideas. "First chance to hold the babies when they are born."

That response went over mildly, except with Cameron, who was not at all pleased with the idea.

"Just kidding, a half day off paid." Pamela said. That got the crowd's attention. They all lined up, ready to take their turn to examine Cameron.

_I'm a freak show._ Cameron thought as one by one people started feeling her up.

---------------------------------------

Cameron plowed through yet another gift. She had been opening for a half hour straight, and it was all becoming a blur. "It's an onesie. Thank you. I'll really need those." Cameron threw the latest addition to the already growing pile.

"With twins, you most certainly will. You'll go through at least ten of those a day." A nurse said. "I'm not sure that pile will be enough."

"Every bit helps." Cameron said, really having no clue that babies wore onesies all the time.

Cuddy came forward with her gift next. Cameron opened the box to find two coordinated to the hilt outfits from the Baby Gap. One boy, one girl. "Thank you so much Dr. Cuddy, but we still don't know the sex of the other one."

"House says it's a boy and girl. I'm trusting his instincts on this one. There's a gift receipt for you to exchange it in case the slim chance happens that he's wrong."

"Either that or I'll dress up one of my girls as a boy for fun. Thanks, this is a very nice gift."

"So you think its two girls?" Cuddy asked.

"It has to be. There are no twins in my family."

Several nearby nurses scoffed. "Yeah, right. There's always a hidden set of twins in every family that no one knew about," a nearby nurse said. Many others laughed, completely agreeing with her.

A small team of nurses with a big box approached Cameron next. One of them stepped forward as the spokesperson. "We went in on this together. We used to talk with Dr. Chase all the time and are so happy about this new step."

Cameron unwrapped the box. It was a battery powered baby swing. "Thank you, this is a really great gift." That was becoming the well rehearsed line.

"That swing will guarantee hours of tranquility," the woman said. "My son spent hours a day in his."

"I'll let Robert know this was from all of you. He'll be so pleased to know you thought of him at a time like this." Cameron was sure she was about to learn all the ways to pacify a baby. She had no idea something like this was such a must.

Another box was placed in front of Cameron. She opened it and pulled out a custom-made baby blanket, complete with a large hobby horse and stitched personalized message of congratulations.

She gasped at how lovely the blanket was. "Thank you, this is such a thoughtful gift."

"I worked in the ICU plenty of times with Dr. Chase when he covered shifts. Dr. House really knocked him down a lot, but he never complained. I was thrilled to hear how something wonderful like this was finally happening to him, to you both."

"Thank you Cherie," she said reading her badge, feeling ashamed that she didn't get to know the nurses as well as Robert. Sure he was probably flirting at the time, but she didn't know he also made friends. "I'll let him know this came from you. It will be treasured."

"My turn!" Ramone said putting his gift in front of her. "This is from me and Karl."

Cameron ripped the wrap off the boxes and found two sets of mobiles, slightly used. Despite their gentle reuse, they were darling. They had cows, moons and stars hanging down from a music box that played 'Clair De Lune'.

"Where did you find these, especially two of them? They're adorable."

"A resale shop we frequent. Someone just moved their twins out of their cribs and didn't need them anymore."

All these amazing gifts were now getting to be too much. Cameron started getting a little misty. "I'm so overwhelmed by all this. Everyone has been so generous." She spoke with a cracking voice.

Many in the crowd all smiled, moved by her heartfelt appreciation.

"I'm sorry," she told everyone shaking it off. "The hormones are in control again."

While she was pulling herself together, Cameron heard a familiar thump on the floor. She looked up just as a stack of cloths was plunked in front of her. The white paper strip bundling them together was still wrapped around the middle. Heartwarming moment was over.

"Sorry, I didn't have time to wrap it." House said.

"A stack of hospital receiving blankets. How thoughtful."

House didn't even think twice about her sarcastic reply. "Fresh out of the maternity supply room. Something comfortable to swaddle around your bundles of joy." He looked up at the food table, not at all impressed with the pickings that were left. "There better be some cake left." He headed for the buffet.

"So nice of you to join us!" Cameron shouted. Another gift was placed in front of her. "Oh, this is great. Another sorely needed onesie."

---------------------------

Several of the nurses had turned to their artistic side and sculpted a silly hat containing all the bows and broken ribbons from the gifts. They had counted enough broken ribbons where Cameron would end up having twenty plus children if superstition was correct. Cameron felt like telling that old wives tale to go shove it up its…

"Group picture time!" Ramone shouted. Someone helped Cameron up and guided her to the middle of the group. They placed the funny hat on her. She tried her best to muster a pleasant smile, but it ended up looking as forced as it was.

"Big smiles everyone. Say 'baby'!" With that a flash went off. The photographer checked the picture, and gave them the thumbs up.

A few people fell for the trick. "I know who said that!" Ramone gleefully shouted. "Hand over your clothes pins." He gathered a couple, but noticed on the other side he had some competition.

"Hello Brenda," he said with a wary voice.

"Hello Ramone. I think you have fallen behind." She proudly displayed her collection of clothes pins.

"I don't think so. You are going down sister."

Brenda could only laugh. "You're not worthy. That half day off is mine."

Ramone crossed his arms. "No way baby."

"Ah ha!!!" Brenda said overjoyed. "Hand them over."

"Dammit!" he said, throwing them at her one by one in disgust while she giggled profusely.

"No one likes a sore loser." Cuddy said as she walked by them. She approached House, who was in the corner strangely behaving well.

"I'm billing you for those blankets."

"Give it to Cameron. She'll submit it as a department expense."

Cuddy looked at him sympathetically. "You haven't been around to bug me lately. Are you doing okay?"

"Supremo. Thanks for asking." He replied in a biting manner.

"When are you going to stop being mad and hurt?"

"When you are going to stop pursuing me? Get over me already." House scowled as he limped out of the room.

Cuddy shook her head. He still needed time.

The crowd started breaking up. "Thanks Pamela, this was the best employee lunch ever." A person in the crowd said.

"Thanks Pamela!" She heard from numerous people as they shuffled out.

"I'll have to admit, this was a morale booster." Cuddy told Pamela.

"Thanks," Pamela said with a humble smile. "Maybe we can do it again in a couple of months."

"Maybe." Cuddy smiled back and left the room.

Pamela walked over to an exhausted Cameron, who sat at the table, eyes fixed in shock at the mass pile of stuff surrounding her, looking as stressed out as she could be. "This isn't even the tip of the iceberg. Do you know all the things I still need to care for these children?"

"All you need is a credit card and an afternoon in the baby superstore. They'll fix you right." Pamela replied. She grabbed Cameron's arm and helped her up. "Come on, I'm taking you home. You get the afternoon off work, paid."

------------------------------------

"So how did it go?" Chase asked as Cameron dragged herself through the door holding bags of stuff.

"You were in on this."

"Yes."

"You didn't give me any warning?"

"Now how would that have been a surprise party then?"

He grabbed the bags out of her hand. "You got all this?"

"This is just part of it. Pamela is outside unloading the bigger stuff."

"Wow, I had no idea the nursing staff would be so generous."

"It was the social event of the year. You missed out." Cameron's tired and unenthusiastic description was less than convincing.

"Didn't you enjoy it?"

"Yes, I'm just really tired and cranky." She waddled her way over to the couch and stretched out.

Chase looked inside the bags. "Good, we need lots of onesies. I heard you could go through at least ten of those a day."

"You've been talking to the nurses I see."

"When I was in the hospital several stopped by, yes. I've got to get my tips somewhere." He pulled out the stack of receiving blankets. "This must be from House."

Pamela came through the door. "Your other stuff is in the garage. Man did you mop up."

"So the party went well?"

"It was a blast. Many of those nurses were asking about you, wondering if you were recovering well. I told them you were fine, and judging by the way you are standing here I would guess I'm right."

"Yes, I'm much better. That's nice of them to ask. I'm looking forward to working with them again soon."

"Eric says you both are making big strides in getting everything in order."

"Yes, this time off has been productive."

Pamela looked over at Cameron. "Aw, look at her. Sound asleep. She was very tired in the car."

Chase looked at her with concern. "She fell asleep pretty quickly." He walked over and picked up her wrist. "Pulse rate is a little high."

He gave Cameron a nudge. "Allison." She stirred a little. "You need to lie on your left side." He assisted her while she turned over. She quickly fell back asleep.

"Is she okay?" Pamela asked.

"Sleeping on her left side will lower her blood pressure and heart rate. She'll be okay after a good nap. She probably overdid it today."

"She did have a rough morning before the party. Do you need me to stay and help?"

"No, she'll be fine. She'll wake up in a few hours and will want to eat a whole pizza by herself."

Pamela skeptically nodded. "Okay, if you say so. I've got to get back to work. I have to plow through all the emails from nurses telling me what a great administrator I am for throwing them a party."

Chase laughed. "Well as long as it doesn't go to your head."

"Have a good afternoon Robert." Pamela helped herself out.

Chase went back to Cameron and checked her pulse again five minutes later. It was lower like he hoped. She was deep asleep though and didn't notice him touching her. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. "Yes, this is Robert Chase. I need to report an issue to Dr. Ades."


	21. Complications

**a/n: Be prepared, this one is a little more dramatic than most. Not your typical fluff, but I really think everyone will like. Lots of angsty Chase in this one. **

-----------------------------

It took Cameron a minute to realize she was on the couch in her family room. Even with her eyes open, she was in too much of a daze to grasp her whereabouts. She carefully raised herself up, giving the room a minute to spin before sitting fully upright. That's when she saw Chase sitting in the armchair across from her with a strange scowl on his face.

"I'm sorry Robert. I must have dozed off."

"You were out for three hours. I was worried so I called Dr. Ades. She told me about your dizzy spell over two weeks ago, while I was in surgery. Why aren't you doing what she told you to do?"

"I'm taking it easy."

"Like hell you are. I've seen you tear through this house the past few weeks trying to organize it at a frantic pace, and I know House isn't taking it easy on you since Foreman left. When you got home your ankles were blown up like two balloons and you could barely keep your eyes open. Your blood pressure is starting to spike. Do you want preeclampsia?"

"It won't get that bad. I just went a little overboard today. You see, a little rest and I'm all better."

"We have an appointment first thing in the morning."

"I don't need to go to Dr. Ades each time I get a little sleepy."

"A little sleepy? You were exhausted to the point where you were incoherent and your pulse was racing. That can't be good for you or the babies."

Cameron stood up. "Let's not talk about this now. I'm still really tired and going to bed."

"You can't avoid this!" His outburst startled her a little. "You and I both know a lot of twin pregnancies don't go full term. You need to go slower than other pregnant women at 28 weeks because you are carrying twice the load. These babies aren't ready to be born yet."

"Yes Robert, I'm a doctor too. I know the issues, and I'm fine."

Chase turned around as his frustration was about to really set him off. He took a deep calming breath, knowing that upsetting her right now wouldn't be the wisest thing to do. "Fine, we'll see what the doctor says in the morning."

"You coming to bed?"

"No. I can't sleep. I'm going to read for a bit."

Cameron turned him to face her and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. "I'm fine, stop worrying."

Chase kept his head lowered, refusing to make eye contact. Cameron sighed, knowing he just needed sometime to cool off, and went upstairs.

Chase sat back down in the armchair. He didn't want to think about the worst that could happen. He's seen worst case more often than other people though, so he couldn't avoid it. He also knew he couldn't force other people to see reason either, so it was out of his hands. He did the only thing he knew what to do in moments like these. He said a prayer.

-------------------------------------------------

"We have a new fellow starting tomorrow." House announced as Cameron and Chase entered the conference room. They had stopped by to drop off her things on the way to their appointment.

"Tomorrow? I haven't met any candidates. I thought I was supposed to be part of the interview process." Cameron wasn't at all surprised that she was excluded.

"Really? I could have sworn you told me he was perfect and that I should hire him."

"Nope. What's his name?"

"Something even I can't pronounce. Just call him Al."

"You hired a foreign doctor?"

"You didn't object when I hired your hot Aussie husband. I know you have a thing for accents."

"I didn't object because he was here first and he came from an actual English speaking nation. Does this guy speak any English?"

"Sure, schools in India require English to be taught. It's just a little broken, that's all."

"You hired him so you could practice conversational Hindi, didn't you?" Chase said.

"I hired you two for similar lesser reasons."

Cameron shook her head. "Fine, whatever. Do what you want."

"He's your trainee." House announced.

"What?!" Cameron shouted. "I'm weeks away from maternity leave. What can I possibly show him in that time?"

"You've crammed for exams, right?"

Cameron was about to go ballistic, but Chase stopped her. "You can deal with him later. We have an appointment." Cameron nodded. Both flashed House their own unique glares of contempt before leaving.

House cracked a huge smile. He knew it wasn't wise to aggravate a pregnant woman, but she made it too easy.

------------------------------------------------

"You're done working," Dr. Ades declared after examining Cameron.

"No, House needs me right now. He has no one else. A new fellow starts tomorrow."

"Tough. I usually tell expecting mothers of twins to stop working anywhere between 28 and 30 weeks. You can't handle the stress anymore. You should have been done two weeks ago."

Cameron looked at Chase for some type of backup, but he was smiling in full agreement with the doctor.

"Please, I just need another week. I promise I won't push myself."

Dr. Ades looked at her skeptically and carefully weighed the decision. "One week. No physical tasks, and if you see so much as an slight puff in your ankles you get in this office for a blood pressure check."

"Yes doctor," she replied begrudgingly.

"Normally I'd write up orders for your employer, but I know he would just ignore them anyway. You need to be firm with him about the rules."

"Okay," she replied like a child that had just been scolded.

"Great. I need a few minutes alone with your husband."

Cameron's eyes grew wide, not certain what sort of secret messages they were about to share. She didn't like it.

"It's okay," Chase told Cameron. She gave them both one more suspicious glance before apprehensively leaving the room.

"I understand you and Dr. Foreman will be open for business soon in an office in this building."

"Yes, it will be ready in a week or two. Are you part of some welcoming committee?"

"Robert, I'm not a doctor that usually pries in the personal business of my patients, but the timing couldn't be worse for Allison. She's part of your stress you know."

"She hasn't been involved. I've kept her away from all of it."

"She still sees your stress. How about your new home?"

Chase's look turned shameful. "Yeah, that's been a problem. It's better, but we aren't where she wants to be. I haven't been able to help like I hoped and she won't sit still. She has this obsessive desire to get everything in order."

"She's nesting. That's a very common behavior as the arrival gets closer."

"I can't get her to be reasonable most of the time."

"I know I don't have to lecture you about all the risks right now. All she has to do is overdo it once to be pushed over the edge. Please watch her carefully."

"I will."

"Thanks for calling me right away about this. Don't hesitate if anything happens again."

Chase nodded. "I won't. Thanks."

"Oh, and Robert," she said stopping him as he was about to leave. "Welcome to the neighborhood."

He smiled in appreciation and went to join his wife.

-------------------------------------------

Chase and Cameron stood outside the plain office door. There were no windows around it and the sign in front was empty, no designation marked as yet.

"Don't expect anything too spectacular. We are after all starting small." He told her with his hand on the doorknob, ready to open the door.

"I've seen enough medical offices. Trust me, I have no expectations." She replied.

He opened the door and they entered a small waiting area, holding only eight chairs along three walls. The other short wall had only a door. "The chairs are for show. I doubt we would actually have eight people in here at one time." Chase said.

"Appearances are important. You'll have plenty of non patient visitors anyway."

He opened the door that led them to the rest of the offices. There was a small reception desk to the right, a large conference room to the left and an exam room and tiny supply room at the back.

Voices came from the large conference room, so they went in there. The room had a large table with two simple desks in the corners. A brand new unused white board stood proudly in front of them, begging to be used. Cameron ran her hand over the smooth surface, in awe at its clean magnificence.

"Pretty cool, isn't it?" Asked Foreman. He and Pamela stood at the conference table going over color swatches.

"Oh, please don't let this be what I think it is." Chase said, holding his head.

"The walls are generic and bland," Pamela replied. "Haven't you put any thought into some colors and wall hangings? Oh, I've got it. We should go for an outback theme."

"Ha ha ha." Chase deadpanned. "I'm sure with your new position you can find someone who specializes in decorating medical offices. In the meantime, we need you far away from a color palate."

"Relax. Look at the samples. They are nice and neutral. If anything, you should be scared over me picking art. Tell me, do you lean more toward Picasso or Monet?"

"Warhol."

"That's sick and wrong." Pamela looked at her watch. "As much as I'd love to debate artistic merits, my lunch hour is over. It's your practice, do what you want."

"I need to get back to work too." Cameron said. "This is really nice."

"Don't let House-"

"Don't worry. I'll take it easy." She gave him a kiss. "Might I suggest the same for you. You're still on medical leave, remember?"

He smiled over the fact that she had him there. He watched her and Pamela leave, then turned back to Foreman, who was looking at him in disgust.

"What?"

"You two are pathetic. Anyway, I'm glad you're here. I was going to come see you next."

"What's up?"

"We've got work to do." He handed Chase a file.

"A referral? We aren't in business yet."

"We are now. Pamela gave this to me. This referral is personally from Jerry Anderson."

Chase read over the notes. "Why doesn't he give this to House?"

"Maybe because we won't give him crap for it. That and House is having staff issues."

"Where do we see this person? We don't have any supplies in our exam room yet nor an installed computer system to process the info."

"That's where your wife comes in. She's going to see her in the clinic and admit her, then list me as the primary physician."

"Cuddy isn't going to like this."

"Cuddy won't have a choice. My privileges are all clear and this one is coming from the top."

Chase smiled. "You just wanted the first case and are taking advantage of my medical leave."

"Yeah, that also was a reason. We need to get our feet wet and turning down a personal referral from Jerry Anderson isn't a great way to start."

Chase nodded, accepting he was right. "When are you seeing Mrs. Miller?"

"In about two hours."

"Call me for a consult as soon as you are done. We start this process together."

"Hmm, I'm sorry, wasn't there an issue of you not being medically cleared to work?"

"Foreman-"

"If it's anything major, I'll let you know. Otherwise, it's under control. Be happy, we are in business."

------------------------------

"House, sign this." Chase put the paper in front of him.

"Good morning to you too Dr. Chase. I don't remember giving you an examination."

Chase held his arms out and turned around in a full circle. "You see, fit for work."

"You could at least ask nicely."

"Right. Have you ever asked nicely for anything?"

"I'm not the one that needs a paper signed."

Chase put his hands on his hips. "Come on House. Foreman has been working non-stop with Mrs. Miller for two days and needs help."

"That doesn't sound like asking."

Chase huffed, lowered his head, and swallowed his pride. "Please?"

"Okay, on one condition. You take this case." House handed him the file.

"Why, don't you want it?"

"We already have a case. My slim staff can't handle more than one."

"Your staff never handled more than one." He looked over the file. "You sure you don't want this? It looks pretty straight-forward."

"Which is exactly why I don't want it. Too boring."

"Fine, I'll take this if anything so you'll take it easier on Allison. She's supposed to be done you know."

"She can go as soon as we're done with the case."

"Is that going to be done in four days?"

"I'm not sure, but I doubt it."

"That is not acceptable."

House held out his hand. "Wasn't I supposed to sign something?"

Chase handed him the paper with un-amused scowl. House signed it and handed it back to him.

"Four days." Chase told him while he was leaving.

House didn't respond. He wouldn't worry about it. Cameron wouldn't leave him with a case. She'd never forgive herself.

-------------------------------

"House, we need to talk." Cameron was at her wits end.

"This is so sudden. After all, you are having another man's babies."

"I can't take this. Face it, Al sucks. He doesn't learn easily and I have to do the work for both of us. I have a huge headache, my back is killing me, my ankles are swollen like two balloons, and I'm so damn tired I can't see straight. I was supposed to be done working two days ago. I almost gave Mr. Reynolds the wrong dose of medication before I caught myself."

"Sounds like you are the doctor that sucks."

"Al needs hand holding. Neither of us can do this."

"He's learning. He just needs a little time. He'll come around."

"Fine. I'll let him loose. If he kills someone, it's your problem." She stormed out of his office. He looked up to notice a minor stagger, but dismissed it as Cameron disappeared into the conference room.

House went back to reading his paper, then something dawned on him. "Did she say headache?" He got up.

"Dr. Cameron," Al said entering the conference room. "The lab results."

Cameron held out her hand to accept the piece of paper, but it was shaking. He noticed her wince as she read the results. "Yous in pan?" Al said with thick accent.

"The word is pain Al and yes, I'm feeling PAIN." That was when a sharp stab hit her gut. She screamed. Al instantly rushed over and helped her into a chair. "Dr. House!"

House was already there next to him. He saw the gut wrenching grimace on Cameron's face. Cameron felt another sharp stab and screamed again.

House took immediate action and shouted instructions to Al. "She's having contractions. Call a response team and get some magnesium sulfate."

He ran out of the room just before Cameron screamed again. House helped her to the floor, laying her on her left side. "Stop it! I have a standing rule. Kids are not allowed in diagnostics."

"I'll tell them." She stopped to absorb the pain of another contraction. "It's not working. These kids are so damn stubborn."

-------------------

Chase made it from the medical building to the ER in 6 minutes once he got the page. As soon as he was spotted, the ER nurse pointed toward the bed. Cameron was lying on her left side, oxygen mask on, hooked up to monitors and an IV that was suppressing contractions. He looked at the fetal monitor, which was surprisingly strong. Then he looked at Cameron's vitals, which weren't so good. Her blood pressure was 185/110, oxygen levels were low and her heart rate was erratic.

"Hey, I thought I told you no more medical emergencies." He brushed the top of her head and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Sorry." She said through the mask, her voice weak and tired.

"Robert, a word please?" Dr. Ades asked from behind.

"I'll be right back." He kissed her forehead and joined the doctor in a private area. "What happened?"

"She started having contractions. Luckily she was in the office with House. He administered the magnesium sulfate and got her down here right away."

"It's preeclampsia, isn't it?"

"I can't do a positive diagnosis for 24 hours, but I'd bet the farm on it. Proteinuria was at 310 mg. We'll have a better idea if her blood pressure is still bad in five hours."

"Any seizures?"

"No, the quick use of the magnesium sulfate prevented that. She still wasn't done with House?"

"She hasn't been putting in full days and was supposed to be done by tomorrow. She came in with me this morning and we were going home in an hour. They were finishing up a case."

"Well now she doesn't have a choice. She's on bed rest for the rest of the pregnancy, and judging by how bad she is right now, she might have to be hospitalized until delivery."

"What are the chances of her delivering prematurely?"

"It seems like a forgone conclusion now. If she's diagnosed as severe and holds out that long, we will likely induce at 34 weeks for her sake. She hasn't been vomiting because of the Phenergan, but I suspect she will soon since she has to go off it now. The potential stress risks are too high."

"Have you run any liver and kidney function tests?"

"We are waiting for the labs to come back, but so far no warning signs."

Chase ran through the flurry of questions in his mind, trying his best to maintain composure. "How long do you realistically think she'll go before delivering?"

"After what happened today, she could go at anytime."

Chase got more panicked. "She's not even at 30 weeks."

"She really needs to get to at least 32. We'll know more in a few days after we monitor her levels of sickness and stress if she can go that long."

"Okay, we will take it day by day." Chase ran his hand through his hair to remain strong, but inside he was falling apart. He didn't want to start talking about worst case.

Dr. Ades felt his worry and had a way to ease it. "Robert, there is good news in all this. I did a quick ultrasound when she got down here and recorded the scan. Would you like to see it?"

Chase nodded, eager to see what she was happy about. Dr. Ades turned on the monitor.

His eyes lit up at sight of his two children. Their size and shape was ideal, both weighing around three pounds. Both were facing down, and their heart rates strong and normal. Whatever distress their mother was feeling was completely lost on them. They both looked so healthy, so perfect, so beautiful. He was overcome with relief. What he saw next though made him bite his lower lip to fight back tears.

Dr. Ades smiled. "You saw it."

"The other one's a boy." He said with a quivering voice.

"Are you going to tell Allison?"

"I don't know yet." He took a slight pause to process all the swirl running through his mind. "Are you going to give them steroids for lung development?"

"Not yet. We will have to consider that though if she doesn't improve."

He nodded, then buried his face in his right hand.

"Robert, I'm most worried about Allison right now. The pregnancy is toxic to her and destroying her well being. These babies could survive well if they had to be delivered early. If she goes into extreme distress at anytime, we will do an emergency C-section without hesitation."

Chase didn't know whether to be scared or relieved. He was so glad that the babies were good, but so worried about the mere thought of losing his wife. He couldn't do this without her.

"I understand," he said softly.

"You can go back to her now. She needs to know you are there."

He wiped a tear away and went back to a sleeping Cameron. She looked so fragile and helpless, and all he could do was wait. He stroked the top of her head lovingly and gave her a soft kiss. "You'll get through this."

---------------------------

**a/n: Sorry for being such a drama queen! Just FYI, preeclampsia is a common pregnancy complication, and one I flirted with myself. It's far more common with twins. In a nutshell, the babies become toxic to the mother. It ranges from mild to serious, so you'll have to see how this case plays out! Thanks as usual for reading and all the wonderful comments on this. **


	22. Accepting Risk

**a/n: Yes, another update. This twice a week pace is getting a little exhausting, but I'm on a roll and need to run with it. More drama here. Enjoy!**

-----------------------------------

Chase sat in the chapel, his eyes fixed on the three candles flickering brightly before him. He was too engrossed in the delicate glow of lights to notice the other person entering the room.

She sat down next to him without saying a word, hoping that her mere presence would be enough.

"I'm not thinking the worst," he blurted out after finally noticing Pamela.

"Who does?"

"So, are you going to tell me everything will be okay?"

"Nope."

Chase as usual appreciated Pamela's candor. They silently sat together for another minute, words not being required for their little vigil.

"I am the light of the world." Pamela said, feeling comfort from the illuminations.

Chase leaned forward, rested his elbows on his knees and took in a long calming breath. "It's a boy."

"Robert, that's wonderful! So you're each going have a mini me."

Chase laughed, probably a little harder than that joke earned. He was too tired and slap happy. "Allison doesn't know."

"You going to tell her?"

"I don't know. I guess I'm too distracted by hoping she'll live." He couldn't believe he just said that. He lowered his head in shame and let his emotions go.

Pamela reached over and grabbed him tight in a hug. "You're scared. I'd think you were some sort of monster if you didn't react this way."

"Sorry, I've had bad luck in losing the people I love."

"You're not going to lose her."

"I thought you just said you wouldn't-"

"I lied."

Chase smiled and broke the hug. Pamela fished a Kleenex out of her purse and handed it to him.

"I've been away long enough," he said. "I only came here to light the candles and say a prayer."

"I'll go with you. Maybe I can amuse Allison when she wakes up by posing the stuffed animals she got in suggestive positions."

Chase showed mock offense. "Hey, I won't have my children exposed to such smut."

Pamela smiled. "Spoken like a true dad."

----------------------------

House had no idea why he even made the effort. Even though her room was only two floors down, it was an excruciating haul for him just to pay a casual visit. Usually these trips had to mean something.

He chalked it up to curiosity. He wanted to see if his handiwork was still holding up. He entered the room in his normal abrupt way, but the occupant didn't notice. She was still unconscious, not at all bothered by the sounds of monitors or her annoying boss.

He worked his way over to her beside and examined all the vitals. As he would have guessed, the fetal readings were fine, the mother was a mess. She had another boring condition that he didn't want to be bothered with.

As he watched a pale Cameron lying on her side, something did strike his fascination. Why was she willing to sacrifice herself so that her fetuses would live? What sort of instinct inspires a woman time and time again to make that choice? He's seen this with other patients lots of times and never wanted to explore such a notion. Why was Cameron getting him to ponder it further?

No, the reason he was thinking about it had nothing to do with Cameron.

"Oh, I 'm surprised to see you here." Cuddy said as she entered the room.

"Why? She still works for me. What sort of a monster boss do you think I am?"

"One that never makes the trip down two floors without a good reason." He didn't come back with a clever answer. "So, how is she?"

"Crappy."

Cuddy walked over to the fetal monitor and smiled. "The babies are doing great."

"Oh, time to rejoice then." House replied sarcastically.

"You know that when Cameron wakes up, her only concern is going to be for the babies. She'll be very happy to see this."

Cuddy's face slightly soured when she saw Cameron's readings next. That was when she noticed an absence. "Where's Chase?"

"If I were a betting man, which I am, this would be one of those occasions where he goes running to that God of his."

"We should stay here until he gets back, in case she wakes up. This would give us some time to talk. I can tell you about my latest doctor visit."

"Sorry, no time, busy schedule. Great chatting with you though." House left without hesitation.

Cuddy shook her head and smiled at Cameron after looking at the fetal monitor again. "Men will never get it, will they?"

--------------------------

"Hi Dr. Cuddy," Chase said entering the room. He was pleased to see someone there to watch over Cameron.

"How are you doing Chase?"

"Fine, but I'm not the one with issues. Any change?"

"No. I'm so glad the babies are doing great though. At least something good is happening."

"Yeah," he replied. He noticed a new and inviting chair sitting in the corner.

"I had a comfortable recliner brought in. You look like you need rest too."

"Thanks, I appreciate it." He sank into the chair, letting it absorb all his weary burdens.

"I'll check in later. Please let me know if you need anything." Cuddy turned to leave.

"Do you pray?"

Cuddy turned around and gave him a warm smile. "Yes, sometimes I do."

"This would be one of those times."

"Consider it done. I hope you both, no all four of you, have a calm evening."

She felt overwhelmed by emotion as she left the room. Sure, she could blame it on hormones, but it was the distraught look in Chase's eyes that set her off. She took the stairs up two floors and knocked on the door.

"Just hold me," she told Wilson after he let her in and shut the door. She fell into his arms.

He held onto her tightly. "Bad day?"

"I just came from Cameron's room."

"Is it bad?" He asked with concern.

"No change. It's a situation that hits close to home."

Wilson nodded and continued to hold her, helping her peel away some of her strife. "How's Chase?"

"A mess. Wouldn't you be?" Cuddy realized what she just said. "I didn't mean that."

Wilson pulled away and looked at her blankly, confused by her statement. "Why? Because I can't be a father?"

"James, I didn't mean anything by it."

"I don't have cancer, but I know exactly what my patients are going through."

"You're right. I'm being stupid and emotional. Please forgive me."

He grasped her hand tenderly and led her to the couch, then sat down and invited her to curl up in his arms. She accepted the invitation with relief. "I'd act exactly like Chase if it were you in the same situation. I'd be completely lost." He said, rubbing her back.

She felt like crying. "Let's hope you won't have to face that. I'm so glad you are going to be there for me."

He grabbed her chin. "For us." He kissed her with reassurance.

She dropped her eyes and pulled her lips together tightly, fighting her emotions. "I knew you would make me feel better." She settled back into his arms and they enjoyed a long moment of comfortable silence.

-------------------------

Chase heard the banging of something against the doorframe. "Foreman?"

"Rise and shine. We've got work to do." He finished pulling in their new whiteboard.

Chase shook off his sleepiness, got out of the chair and checked on Cameron. Her BP was showing improvement, but she was still unconscious.

"She'll be pleased to be in on this. I'm sure she's bored." Foreman said moving the board to the corner and grabbing a marker.

"Who's this for? Mrs. Miller?"

"No, she's not our responsibility anymore. She's got a strange variation of Hodgkin's and was sent to Wilson. She has a good chance of recovery. This is for our new patient, the one House sent you."

"It wasn't Endometriosis?"

"Nope, negative for uterine fibroids too."

Foreman started writing all the symptoms on the board.

"Depression, heart palpitations? Sounds hormonal to me." Chase said.

He then wrote the next symptom.

"Pleurisy? Okay, not hormonal. When did that happen?"

"Last night."

Chase examined Foreman's notes. "She still has abdominal pain. What sort of viral condition would cause pleurisy and abdominal pain?"

"She's had the abdominal pain for some time. I doubt that anything viral has been causing that. It could be the two conditions are unrelated and she picked up something here."

"Embolism?" A soft weak voice from the other side of the room said.

Chase's stomach turned inside out when he heard Cameron's voice. He rushed over to her, smiled and grabbed her hand. "Hey, welcome back."

"Hey, it fits. I'll order a CT scan right away. Thanks Cam, glad you're feeling better." Foreman left the room quickly.

Chase smiled and shook his head. When Foreman was in doctor mode, nothing was going to stop him.

"How long was I out?" She asked softly.

"Less than a day. Just enough to worry us sick. How are you feeling?"

"I'm too weak to move and I want to barf." Cameron suddenly got panicked and tried to lift herself up. "The babies!"

"They're fine," he told her while trying to get her to lie back down. "Still perfectly happy floating inside of mom. You have House to thank for that."

"Really, they're okay?"

"See for yourself." He showed her the readings from the fetal monitor.

Her deep relief was reflected by her intense reaction of joy. "I thought I was giving birth. I'm so happy they're okay." She fought back sobs while a few tears broke through. "Were they given anything? Dr. Ades didn't start them on steroids, did she?"

"She consulted with someone in neonatal, but no, they haven't done that yet."

Cameron exhaled a sigh of relief, then that last word hit her. "Yet??"

"You've got pre-eclampsia. The question now is, how severe? Dr. Ades is consulting with others to determine the best time to induce."

"Never." She said adamantly. "They are staying inside me until they want to come out. I don't care what happens to me."

"Yeah, well I do. You don't need to worry. Dr. Ades did an ultrasound. The babies are perfect."

"It's still too early."

"We'll discuss all that later, once we know more. Your BP is still running too high. You need to relax."

She looked at Chase carefully, and could tell something else was running through his mind. "Wait, you mentioned an ultrasound. Did she record it?"

"Yes, for diagnostic purposes."

"Did you see it?"

"Yes. The babies are fantastic."

"I want to see it."

"There's nothing to see. Everything was normal."

Her eyes opened wide, his guilty look telling her everything she needed to know. "You saw the sex of the other baby!"

"No, no I didn't." She stared at him with narrow eyes and a suspicious glare. "Okay, I did."

"You weren't going to tell me? Come on, what is it?"

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes!"

He moved closer to her, clutched her hand, and looked at her sweetly with earnest eyes. "It's a boy."

Her jaw dropped. "Really?"

He nodded, grinning with pride.

She squeaked out a happy smile just before breaking into sobs. He grasped onto her tightly while she let it all out.

"I'm so happy, and so damn confused. Any cases of fraternal twins not coming from the mother?"

He let go of her and looked at her face to face, brushing away her tears with his thumbs. "That mystery can also be solved later. I'm going to let Dr. Ades know you're awake. You need to rest."

She pulled herself together for his sake. "Okay, hurry back." Once he was gone, she leaned over and examined the fetal monitor again. She was overcome with delight to see the two solid heartbeats. She broke into more weeping.

----------------------------------------------------

Dr. Ades had spent the rest of the day running tests and gathering all the facts, as well as having more consults. She walked into the room, stone faced, not giving anything away. Sure that was a common doctor look, especially to two doctors, but for some reason it still caused them both a concern.

"So, how are you feeling?" She asked.

"Fine, and you came here to tell us something, so get on with it." Cameron was too tired for pleasantries.

"I don't like the look of things Allison. Proteinura is still over 300, your hands and feet are still swollen even after lying on your side for 24 hours, and while your blood pressure is improved it's still too high. I'm extremely worried that you are experiencing hypoxia in the placenta. We are going to have to talk about when to induce."

"Absolutely not." She said adamantly.

"We can wait a little longer, another week or two, but your babies have an excellent chance of survival. Your chances are getting worse the longer we wait."

"Delivery anytime between 30-33 weeks involves an increased risk for learning and behavioral problems. They need to come when they are ready."

"Care for me to start listing all the potential dangers? Somehow, I think you know them already."

"Is there a placental abruption?"

"No signs, no."

"Any hepatic involvement?"

"No."

"Then these babies stay. I don't have any unusual uterine pain and bleeding, the ultrasound was normal and there are no signs of distress to the babies right now."

"There is significant distress to the mother." Dr. Ades argued.

"The mother will tough it out."

Chase got a little livid. "You know this could easily lead to eclampsia, or HELLP syndrome, and you don't want placental abruption. We might not be able to stop the bleeding."

"I know the risks to me. I'm willing to take them."

"You're willing to take the risk? Allison, the babies will be fine. HELLP and eclampsia can exist post delivery. You've already started developing headaches and nausea. Why risk it?"

"I don't have blurred vision and abdominal pain." She lifted her head and turned toward Dr. Ades. "I'm going to be here until the babies are born, right?"

Dr. Ades nodded.

"I'll know when something is wrong, as well as all of you. If you see any sign that the babies are in danger, by all means, deliver. If they are fine and I'm the one experiencing problems, do everything you can to keep the babies viable until they are old enough to be delivered."

Chase was positively frantic by now. "Allison, if you become incapacitated, the decision falls on me. Don't put me in a position to make the choice to save you and go against your wishes, because I'll do it."

"My instructions are clear. You won't have to make that decision."

"I won't watch you risk death so that our children can grow inside a few more weeks. They can survive fine in the NICU."

"No!"

Chase clenched his fists in frustration and turned to Dr. Ades. "Can you give us a little time alone?"

"Absolutely. This is a decision you both need to agree on. Let me know what you decide."

They waited while the doctor left, Chase still seething from his wife's stubbornness.

"Robert, this is what I want."

"You could go into convulsions, get irreversible vascular damage, suffer endothelial cell injury, stop breathing, slip into a coma in which you could never wake from, and/or suffer multiple organ failure. I won't let that happen."

"You might have to."

"I don't want to be widower raising two children on my own. Two children that deserve to know their mother. Pardon me for being so selfish."

"Robert, you've worked in the NICU. You and I both know what it's like for those babies. I can't bear the thought of seeing our children like that. I won't have it."

"Yes, I have worked in the NICU, and if anyone knows it should be me! Most of those babies recover well, especially ones born between 30 - 33 weeks. They have a 95 percent survival rate at that age. They won't even have to go on a respirator. They can breathe on their own easily if they are given steroids now."

Cameron frowned a little, letting Chase know that he had her thinking about it.

"Please. You don't have to sacrifice yourself here. This isn't just about you anymore. These babies need their mother. No child should be raised without a mother. Not if the loss could have been prevented."

Cameron let some tears slip down her cheek. "We should really try for 34 weeks."

"Fine, we can tell Dr. Ades to tentatively schedule to induce at 34 weeks, barring anymore complications."

"Until then, we have to do what it takes to keep them inside for that long, even if I'm in trouble."

"No deal." Chase said with arms folded. He was his turn to be unyielding. "When you're unconscious, you've lost your say."

She folded her arms too and dug in for her stubborn streak. "Then I'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen."

"Good." He replied. They both maintained their firm position for several seconds, waiting for the other to flinch.

Cameron gave in first, her face turning pale green. "I'm going to hurl."

Chase grabbed a basin and put it under her just in time. "We'll see how long you can put up with this."


	23. Still Waiting

**a/n: This is a long one! Not that any of them are short, but this is longer. The timeline might be a little confusing here because I'm jumping ahead a bit, so I'll clarify. This jumps two weeks ahead from the last chapter, so she is at 32 weeks at the start. The rest of the chapter covers three weeks time frame. Happy reading!**

-----------------------------------

Two weeks. She had been confined to an uncomfortable generic hospital bed for two weeks. She was determined to make it at least two more weeks, but she hoped for longer. How would her sanity survive that long? Her afternoon couldn't have been more boring. She was given stuff to read, but she got too sleepy to go very far. She wasn't about to negotiate daytime TV. She couldn't think of a worse thing to do, especially with the hospital's basic cable offerings.

Everyone was doing their best to try and keep her occupied. Chase and Foreman left their whiteboard down in her room and often conducted their differentials in there with her. She was still tasked with doing paperwork for House, just as long as the work was delivered to her. House fired Al, so she got to screen resumes for new candidates. Dr. Ades didn't mind and believed that their efforts were helping. By staying in bed but keeping the mind busy, her BP had improved and physical stress levels were no longer at the maximum. She was still at risk, but each day made the situation more hopeful.

Still, the work wasn't there this afternoon. Luckily Pamela was able to come over for her lunch break. It was great that her office was only ten minutes from the hospital, but even in her position she couldn't always get away. Now she had three hours to kill before Robert showed up. He was there at 5:00 sharp every day. Most of the time it was for the evening but sometimes he was there for a minute before going back to finish some tasks for the day. In the last two weeks he and Foreman had gotten six referrals, and only two of those were slam dunks.

She sat there and gazed at the white board, running through the symptoms yet again. It was probably an exercise in futility by now, but she had to keep her mind busy. That ended up being enough to exhaust her. She rolled over and fell fast asleep.

Chase entered the room and saw her sleeping, rolled on her left side. He signaled the other person to come in, but held his fingers up to his lips indicating the need to be quiet. The other person took a spot behind her, not making a sound. Chase gave her shoulder a slight nudge. "Allison."

"Sarcoidosis!" She shouted incoherently.

Chase laughed. "Is it ever that?"

She rubbed her eyes. "Sorry, thinking in my sleep again. Is it 5:00 already?"

"Yes. You feeling okay?"

"Define okay." She noticed the scheming look on his face. "What are you up to?"

"You have a special visitor." He pointed to the other side of the bed. She rolled over on her back and delivered a reaction mixed with shock, disbelief, anger, and happiness.

"Mother?"

-----------------------------------

Wilson knew his patterns well. He would be in the usual corner booth, every Friday when there wasn't a case. People didn't dare sit there, for the wrath of the cranky doctor was legendary. Often times when that was the only seat available, wise patrons would simply wait for another spot to open up.

Wilson had enough. He was tired of House moping this long. He made sure a tall cold beer was delivered right before he made his move. He knew House wouldn't leave until that beer was gone, for even when he was mad at him, he wasn't going to turn down anything free from Wilson.

Wilson slid into the seat across from him, his own full beer in hand. He said nothing, looked down at his beer and started drinking. House took a drink and chose to wait this one out.

Wilson was the first to break the silence. "Um, what's new?"

"My best buddy stabbed me in the back, that's what."

"I bet your best buddy doesn't see things that way."

"He's an idiot." House continued to enjoy his drink, not letting the moment ruin the taste of the vastly superior ale that was delivered to him.

"Yep, he's an idiot. All he did was fall for a woman that was never anyone's to begin with."

"That's not why he's an idiot. And let's stop talking about you as if you weren't here."

"You started it."

"_You started it_," he mimicked.

"You know, most best buddies would be happy if his two closest friends found happiness with each other. Of course, we all know you are hardly the typical friend."

House scoffed while taking another drink. "Is that the best thing your Greek chorus can come up with? How long before you get bored with her and have a yet another bitter end?"

"Is that what's bothering you? You don't think I'm good enough for her?"

"You said it, not me."

Wilson pondered his accusation for a minute while taking in more beer. "Okay."

"You're fine with that?"

"Yep. So can move on now?"

They sat there in silence for several minutes, both avoiding eye contact and drinking more beer. "Bennett was caught banging someone other than his trophy wife. The woman was way uglier. What drives a man to do that?" House asked.

"Trophy wife probably cut him off. She's probably doing the gardener or the pool boy."

"The towel boy at the tennis club is my hunch. Still, an uglier woman?"

"He probably got desperate."

Both their eyes grew really wide as the same thought popped into their heads at the same time. "He was drunk!" They said in unison.

Both chuckled together. House went on talking. "I like this idea of having another diagnostic team around. It felt so good to hand off my work these last couple of weeks."

"Cuddy won't allow that to happen forever. She's only giving you leeway because of Cameron."

"Yeah, and I can use that to my full advantage for the next several weeks. It's like I'm going on vacation."

Wilson chuckled. "She'll make you do clinic duty."

"No, I won't be able to, because I'll be performing consults with Drs. Chase and Foreman."

"How is that going to happen?"

"Chase owes me, plus he's also too distracted to argue. He'll call me in when I ask him to."

"So, let me get this straight, you farm out cases to them, consult when asked, and then bill the insurance for two doctor's fees?"

"Yeah, this new referral system is great, isn't it? All I have to do is walk in, say a few berating words to the patient, and consult is over. It's a dream come true."

"You forget the position of great power Foreman's wife is in. He will tip her off."

"Not for the next few weeks he won't. He wants the business."

Wilson thought the plan to be contrived, but brilliant. He held up his glass in a toast. "To extended vacations."

House countered. "To backstabbing best buddies."

Wilson took the insult with his normal acceptance. He knew House wouldn't let that go, but since they were talking again, it didn't matter. "How about I buy dinner?"

"Took you long enough."

-------------------------------

"You called my mother?"

Chase expected her to be upset, but he didn't care. "I figured she might want to know that you were in the hospital unconscious. Imagine my surprise when she told me she didn't even know you were pregnant."

Cameron frowned and lowered her head in shame. "I was going to send her pictures once they were born."

"Just like you sent me a wedding picture after the wedding," her mother said with resentment. "Your husband is a lot hotter in person by the way, and I'm dying over that accent."

Cameron dropped her face into her hand, and Chase blushed at the compliment.

"You're pretty lucky you know," she continued. "When this happened to your great-grandmother, one of her babies died, she was in a coma for weeks and almost died herself. Medicine has really changed."

Cameron's face turned white, while Chase's showed complete shock. "When what happened?" They both asked together.

"You don't know about her very bad pregnancy?" She asked Cameron.

"No, it didn't come up when we were going through the family tree."

Her mother sat down. "Oh, I could have sworn I shared that story. Maybe it was with your sister. Anyway, early in the pregnancy she was so sick she almost died from excessive puking. Back then they just called it the bad morning sickness. I think there is a name for it now."

Cameron clenched her teeth. "Yes, it's called Hyperemesis Gravidarium."

"You doctors and your fancy terms," she said chuckling. "Anyway, she was sick for the entire pregnancy, but it did let up a little after five months. She lost a ton of weight. She grew larger than normal, especially with all the weight loss, and that's when the doctors guessed she was carrying twins. Toward the end she fell ill again and the babies came early. It was an absolute miracle your grandmother survived, because the other twin, a boy, didn't. He was stillborn. Your great-grandmother slipped into a coma and lingered for weeks before finally coming out of it. They didn't know what happened."

"Eclampsia." Cameron said, still gritting her teeth.

"Oh, is that what it's called."

Chase tried to hide his laughter. "Why don't you two take a little time to catch up? I've got a patient to check up on."

Cameron didn't appreciate his humor. "Just remember, you did this to me!" she shouted at him while he was leaving.

She and her mother shared an uncomfortable glance, both not sure where to start. Her mother decided to make small talk. "So, Robert told me you have a boy and a girl. What names have you picked out?"

"We're torn between a couple girl names, but we only found out about having a boy recently. Robert is supposed to a pick name and run it by me, but he refuses to tell me what it is."

"Why won't he tell you?"

"He likes playing guessing games."

"You think he'd pick something like his dad's name?"

"He and his dad didn't get along. That's not happening. It won't be a Robert Jr. either."

Cameron had to know the truth. "Why did you come here mom? Don't you have a job and an independent life or something like that? You've never had time before."

"You've never had time either. Now we both do. Why turn down that opportunity?"

Cameron narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "I don't believe you. You aren't dying or anything, aren't you?"

"Heavens no!"

"Sorry, but Robert's dad showed up one day out of the blue after they hadn't talked for fifteen years. Four months later, he was dead from cancer. He never told Robert."

"That's awful! No, I'm not dying. If you want to know, Robert asked me to come. It was something in his voice, like being here would mean something. I had time and couldn't say no."

Cameron smiled. "You came because he asked you to?"

"Yes."

Cameron dropped her head and clutched her wedding ring, which was on a chain around her neck. Her fingers were too swollen to put it on. "He's really good to me."

"He's a great guy. You should feel very lucky."

She did feel lucky, despite all the complications. She wasn't about to cry in front of her mother though, and shook off her emotions. "Why don't you tell me what's new at home?"

--------------------------------------------

"Rise and shine Buttercup," House said, barging into the hospital room.

"Buttercup?" Cameron asked sleepily. "Is that a reference to the song or the _Princess Bride_?"

"Your choice. Anyway, you have work to do."

"I'm tired. Can't it wait until later?"

"No excuses. I need a consult." He handed her the file.

She looked over the contents. "This is Robert's case. Why are you consulting?"

"Chase called me in." House took a good look at the woman in the corner. The similarities in features caught his eye. He smiled wickedly. "Why its Mother Cameron."

"House, mother, mother, House," Cameron said in flat voice while looking at the file.

"So this is the jerk?" Her mother asked.

"The one and only."

"How long-"

"When she feels like it." Cameron answered, cutting House off. She closed the file. "I don't get why Robert called you. He and Foreman have been including me on the differentials. They didn't need your help."

"Something must have happened, because I got a call."

"This new referral system is wacky. How can you both call each other for the same patient? You got the case first, and gave it to him, right?"

"Yes."

"So how do you get the case back?"

"I don't have it back. Not my patient. I'm just consulting."

Cameron gave him a suspicious squint. "Something is up. You two are conspiring."

"Now why would we do that?"

"So you can pretend you're working to thwart Cuddy. Robert must be agreeing to it because you've got something on him." She took a few more seconds to think it through. "No, he owes you for letting him return to work early."

House smiled. "That's my girl, always thinking. Since you're thinking so clearly right now, how about some input on the case?"

"I've already told Robert my theories."

"Great, time to share them with me."

Cameron huffed, and then realized she had nothing better to do. "Pull up a chair."

He pulled up a chair next to Cameron's mother. "Important doctor stuff. Prepare to be dazzled."

----------------------------

Dr. Ades came in with Chase. Both of them looked like they were weighing a heavy decision.

"Oh no," Cameron said. "What crisis do I have to deal with now?"

Dr. Ades smiled and sat down next to her. "Allison, I'm thinking of sending you home."

Cameron's mouth hung open. "Really?"

"The signs for the last week have been stable. The bed rest is working. I have no reason to keep you here, but I don't exactly trust you to sit still at home."

"What's not to trust?"

"I know exactly what you're going to do if I let you loose. You'll be in your nursery, busting your hump to get it ready for two babies."

"I won't, I promise."

"You're lying."

"Okay, yes, I'm lying, but I'll make sure I get help."

Chase laughed. "That's why I'm involved. I'm going to be there too. I'm going to keep you honest. I've already worked it out with Foreman that I can work from home."

"What if you have to come in to see a patient?" Cameron asked, knowing the plan wasn't realistic.

"I'll find other doctors to come and watch you when I'm not there."

Cameron wasn't sure if she liked the plan of using babysitters, but she didn't want to stay there anymore either.

"Allison," Dr. Ades said, "if your husband wasn't a doctor, and if your friends weren't doctors, there is no way I would agree to this. You'll have to check in with me every day with BP readings." She saw the confusion still lingering on Cameron's face over whether this was a good idea. "If you aren't sure, or are concerned that there won't be enough time to get to a hospital, I'll allow you to stay."

Cameron broke her apprehensive expression. After almost three weeks, she had enough. "Robert, my bag is over there. Start packing."

----------------------------------------

"Oh God, kill me." Cameron said when she answered the door.

"Is that anyway to greet your volunteers for baby watch?" House said trying to act offended. It wasn't working. "It's either us or back to the hospital for you."

"You passed off your latest case again, didn't you?"

"Yep." House walked in without invitation with Wilson following close behind.

"Hi." Wilson said with an apologetic look on his face.

Cameron knew Wilson was a backup when Robert had to go in, but she thought Wilson and House were fighting. Of course she hadn't seen or heard from either of them in the last week since she got home from the hospital, so she was slow on the latest news.

"Ooh, nice place. You don't mind if I take a tour, do you?"

Before Cameron could answer, House had already begun. He moved to the center of the empty dining room. "Hmm, get a few pillows in here and you can eat meals like the Japanese."

"Baby furniture was on the top of our list."

House had already moved on, headed toward the kitchen. He stopped at the pantry area dividing the two rooms. "Wouldn't this require you to have a butler? Oh that's right, no money."

Cameron and Wilson shared the same look of disdain. They knew what House was like when he was in one of these moods.

Again he moved on. "Aw, look at the big open kitchen. Every yuppie's dream. What do you have to eat?" He raided the pantry and found a packet of cookies. He pulled them out and started munching like crazy while going for the refrigerator next. "Ooh, leftover lasagna. Looks like we have lunch." House closed the door. "You can serve it to me after I finish the tour."

House glimpsed out at the screen porch. "That patio furniture of yours looks pretty shabby. I'd invest in some new stuff. Let's see what's upstairs." House headed that way, while Cameron stayed behind with Wilson, who was actually taking time to admire some of the details of the home.

"I love the character of these older homes," Wilson said. "They don't put this much detail into newer houses. The arches in the doorways, the crown molding, the planks in the wood flooring, and the wood working in general. It's very charming."

"It sounds like you know more about homes than your ex-wife."

"Oh, don't get me started. There's a lot more I know about than her." They both laughed at his comment. "So how are you doing?" He asked while examining the fireplace mantle.

"I'm exhausted all of the time and have to force down food because it all looks repulsive to me. When Robert gets busy, this place has a revolving door. A few days ago Pamela and Foreman were here with rainy day games most of the day. I was ready to kill them by the time they got to 'Pin the Tail on the Pregnant Woman'. Still, it beats being in the hospital."

"Did your mother get home okay?"

"Yeah, her visit turned out pretty good. We got to catch up, she stayed here and helped Robert with the nursery. She swears she'll come back after the babies are born."

"Is the nursery done?"

"Mostly, you want to see?"

"I'd love to."

Cameron led Wilson to the stairs and climbed them at a snail's pace. She took several seconds for each stair. Wilson helped by supporting her left hand, while the railing handled her right.

"Wow, open space upstairs like this is so rare." Wilson was impressed with the layout.

They heard noises coming from the master bedroom. Cameron rolled her eyes and went in to find House rifling through the closet. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to find out where you hide the sex toys."

Cameron waved him off in disgust and went back to Wilson. "The nursery is this way."

She led him to the room on the opposite side of the master bedroom. Wilson admired every cozy feature. The blue and pink walls, the building blocks border, the white cribs complete with mobiles and bedding, and a changing table that contained all the supplies needed. There were stuffed animals everywhere, a huge area rug dotted with teddy bears and a nice old-fashioned rocking chair in the corner.

"Almost? This looks complete to me."

"Nope."

"What's missing?"

"Babies."

Wilson laughed. "That will come soon enough."

"So," Cameron said with a smile, "it seems you are playing dad-to-be yourself. Strange for someone who shoots blanks."

"No, it's not mine, but yes, I'm playing that role."

"So she found a sperm donor?"

"Yes, you could say that."

They were interrupted by that familiar thumping sound. House stuck his head in and made a strange face. "This kind of burns the retinas, doesn't it?"

"You haven't been to Foreman's house lately." Cameron replied.

House took a strange pause, eyes fixed on the two cribs and rocking chair. Cameron and Wilson look at each other in surprise, wondering what was going through his mind. House shook it off after a minute and went on. "You have an attic, right?"

Before Cameron could answer, he was gone and headed up the stairs.

"Something got him thinking." Cameron said suspiciously.

"I didn't notice," Wilson lied.

The look of revelation popped onto Cameron's face. "Wait a minute, Cuddy's baby. It's House's!"

Wilson's very bad poker face confirmed her conclusion.

"Of course, it makes sense. You and House were talking in the office, but I only heard bits and pieces. Why else would you talk about pregnancy? I don't know why I didn't figure it out sooner. I can't wait to tell Robert."

"You can tell Chase, but this has to stay among yourselves. House hasn't decided if he's going to be part of the baby's life or not."

Cameron showed a little outrage. "He's fathering a child and he doesn't want to be part of its life? He's a miserable bastard, isn't he?"

"Tell me about it."

Cameron chuckled, enjoying every bit of this news, and then noticed a distressed Wilson. "You're secret is safe with me. For what it's worth, I'm glad you are there for Cuddy. She deserves someone who can take care of her."

"Thanks."

They heard thumping coming down the attic stairs. House had in his hand a cricket bat.

"What are you doing with that?" Cameron asked. "I doubt you played at the Melbourne Cricket Club."

"I need something to intimidate my new staff with and keep them in line. I know your hubby isn't using it. Also, there are too many stairs in this place. Don't you know I'm a cripple?" He limped over to the stairs and noticed that Wilson and Cameron weren't following. "Come on, I'm ready for lunch now."

----------------------------

"Robert! Wake up!"

Chase sat up abruptly in the bed and glanced over at the clock with squinted eyes. 2:15 am.

He saw Cameron next to him, wide awake and panicked, afraid to move.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm all wet."

Chase pulled back the bedding and found she was very wet. "Did you have an accident?"

"If I did, I didn't feel it or do it voluntarily."

"Hold on, we have a way of checking." Cameron heard him going down the stairs. She still didn't move an inch, afraid of the consequences. A minute later he returned, placed his retrieved messenger bag on the bed and pulled out a couple of items.

"Is that Nitrazine paper?"

"Yes," he said while putting a rubber glove on. "I've been keeping it just in case something like this happened." He lifted up her nightshirt, pulled off her soaked underwear and examined the mess. "It doesn't look like urine. I'm going to check now. You'll feel a slight pinch."

"Trust me, I know the drill."

He wrapped the paper around the ends of his two fingers and inserted them in her. After a few seconds he pulled the paper out and waited for the final color to appear.

"Well?" Cameron said anxiously.

He had a mixture of both relief and trepidation on his face. "Blue, 7.0. You my dear have ruptured membranes."

She was overjoyed. "Oh, it's finally going to happen."

He got out a stethoscope from his bag and moved it all around her abdomen, listening for fetal heartbeats. "Any labor pains yet?"

"No, they aren't even moving. Probably because there isn't room."

He smiled when he heard two normal heart rhythms. "They both sound good." He removed his stethoscope, leaned over and gave her a huge kiss. "One day shy of 35 weeks. I'm impressed. All three of you have exceeded expectations."

Cameron shrugged, not that surprised. "As a family, that's the way we roll."

He grabbed her hand, helped her out of bed and led her over to the closet. "We should get dressed. I plan on breaking every traffic law getting us to the hospital."


	24. 24 Hours, part 1

**a/n: Sorry folks, but once again (and this shouldn't be a shock), I wrote too much. This is part one of the very big delivery scene. Part two is in fine tuning and should be available either tomorrow or at worst Friday. The idea is this will be a long, ardous ordeal and will cover all the events for 24 hours. I hope you like what I came up with!**

**------------------------------------------------**

**2:38 am**

"I thought you were kidding about the traffic law thing." Cameron protested as they walked into the emergency room waiting area. "I'm fine you know. So I got one contraction. Even you said I was only 90 percent effaced."

"You had another gush of fluid in the car. Something is happening." Chase replied.

"I know you're acting like a nervous dad, but try to be a doctor. You know we have plenty of time."

"Given everything you've been through, I'm not taking any chances. A premature rupture of membranes puts you and the babies at a higher risk of infection."

"The risk is marginal."

He glared at her, not at all impressed with her casual attitude.

"Okay, you're right. If I were the doctor, I'd send the patient in."

"Thank you."

"Hi Dr. Chase, Hi Dr. Cameron." The ER nurse at the desk said. She couldn't avoid hearing them squabble. "More trouble?"

"Ruptured membranes."

"You sure?"

Chase flashed her a look of contempt. He was a doctor after all. He could tell these things. "Nitrazine test was 7.0."

The nurse sighed. She wasn't in the mood to process another delivery case. Maternity was already having issues this evening. "Okay, give me a minute to alert labor and delivery. I'll let you know when you can go up."

"Thanks," Chase replied, slightly offended that he and Cameron were being treated as ordinary cases. They took a seat in the waiting room.

"She's doing her job Robert. We seem to be getting them on a busy night."

"You won't be defending her when you're in agonizing pain."

"Thanks for putting that picture in my head. I can't wait." She took in a deep breath as another wave of pain hit her. Chase coached her to breathe through it. 20 seconds later it was gone.

Chase looked at his watch. "Ten minutes apart."

Cameron sighed and leaned back in her chair. "That was an easy one. What am I doing to do when they get harder? I want this over with."

Chase clutched onto her hand. "We're in this together. Dig in, it's going to be a long night."

**3:4****6 ****am**

Chase wanted to be patient. After all, he did work at this hospital and knew what complications could happen. He determined though that he had given them long enough.

"Come on Marcy. I work here. You don't have to give me a story because I know how things are. Now tell me why you still can't get us a delivery room."

She lowered her head in reluctance, and then figured he'd find out what was happening anyway. "Our post delivery rooms are full, so we have six mothers who have delivered waiting to be moved to new beds and none available. We don't have the new overflow plans yet and the manager isn't on duty for over another five hours. We're stuck. We've tried paging her."

"My wife has had nothing but one pregnancy complication after another. She was recently hospitalized with pre-eclampsia, is expecting twins, and has a premature rupture of her amniotic sac at 35 weeks. Can someone at least come take her vitals and do a routine OB check?"

"We have her records on file. Trust me, she's high risk enough where she's next. Besides, we figured you did all that before you came in here."

Chase was fighting back his temper now. "Yes, I did such a check 90 minutes ago. Since then, she's actually started labor."

The nurse glanced over at Cameron, who was calmly reading a magazine. "She looks fine."

Chase had enough. He pulled out his cell phone. "I have Dr. Cuddy's home number. We'll get those women into beds."

The nurse wasn't scared. "Go for it. You're only getting an incompetent manager in trouble."

"And a belligerent nurse who's extremely lucky that the patient in question and the husband are doctors. I'm going back there and getting a sphygmomanometer and a stethoscope. If anything is abnormal, Dr. Cuddy hears about it."

"Barbara!" She screamed. "Get Dr. Cameron into an emergency bay. We need to do a vitals and an OB check."

**5:15 am**

"I'm so sorry about this Chase," Cuddy said dragging herself in. She put on makeup before coming in, trying to look her best, but the fatigue was obvious. "I swear ever since Trinity took over, there are some rough edges in our management. Luckily this time I get to fire someone's ass. They are getting a room ready now."

"Thanks, I'm sorry about having to get you up so early, especially since your rest is important too."

"You were right to call. This is what I do. How's she doing?"

"Dilated 2 cm, BP running in mild hypertensive range, contractions lasting 30 seconds running every seven to ten minutes. I've been taking her on walks and helping her with breathing exercises, but she's still in early labor."

"Oh yeah, let's ignore the fact that my back is killing me!" Cameron griped. "That pain isn't going away after the contractions. The ice packs around here don't seem to last as long as they should. I need another."

"We need to go for another walk." Chase replied.

Cameron threw him a look of death. He'd have to put that off for a few minutes after she got some more ice.

"Back labor." Cuddy said under her breath. "I heard that's the worst."

"I heard that!" Cameron shouted.

Cuddy smiled and patted Chase's shoulder. "Oh boy, you are in for a long day."

**6:32 am**

Over four hours after her water broke, Cameron was finally settled in a delivery room. She was lying on her side to avoid back pressure, but it was only helping a little. She was hooked to monitors for herself and the babies, and the cup of fresh ice chips was delivered.

"You want to watch some TV? Chase asked.

"So I can see some frighteningly perky male and female spawns of Satan tell me what a great morning it is?"

"I guess that's no. You want me to do more counter pressure on your back?"

"I want you to order your child to stop pressing on my spine." Cameron growled just before a painful contraction hit her, lasting a good 45 seconds.

"These children are going to kill me," she cried, still trying to catch her breath from the lingering ache.

"Good morning Allison and Robert," Dr. Ades chimed as she entered through the door.

"You see?" She said to Chase. "Another perky creature from hell."

"Trust me, I've been called worse by other women in labor," Dr. Ades answered. "Mind if I do an OB check?"

"Why not? Down there seems to be the perfect viewing gallery for everyone this morning."

Dr. Ades smiled at Cameron's crankiness and performed a quick check. "Three centimeters."

Cameron groaned. "That's all?"

"You're only in the early stages. Everything is progressing normally. I'm going to have the nurse draw you a bath for that back labor. Sitting in water for a while will not only help with that, but it will help relax you a bit. Your BP and heart rate are starting to spike."

"I know something that will fix all this. It's called delivery."

"In due time Allison. It's on the babies' terms. I'll check in later."

Chase came over to offer whatever support he could. He tried massaging her back.

Cameron gritted her teeth in annoyance. "You might not want to touch me right now. I'm out of my mind enough where your safety isn't guaranteed."

--------------------------

**7:35 am**

"Robert?" Her voice was lazy. Not only was she relaxing, she was getting sleepy.

"Yes," he answered. He was sitting on a chair next to the bathtub, holding her hand.

"What's our son's name?"

"Not telling."

"Oh come on, what's the harm now?"

"I need to see him first, make sure the name fits."

"What if it doesn't?"

"Then I'm stuck."

That got a slight rise out of her. "You're stuck?"

"Relax, there is plenty of time for that. Besides, if you don't like what I come up with, we'll have to find other names anyway."

She rolled her head, agreeing with that logic. Maybe because she was just too tired to fight it. "We haven't decided on Amanda or Emily either."

"What do you want it to be?"

"I was thinking Amanda Emily."

"I like that, but we ought to wait until she is born, see if it fits."

Cameron tensed as she was hit with another contraction. Chase grasped her hand tightly and coached her on breathing. Once she was done, she fell back relaxed and exhausted into the bath.

Chase looked at his watch. "The last two were five minutes apart."

"I can't believe we saved our name conversation until labor. What's wrong with us?"

"Nothing. We've had more important things to deal with."

Cameron closed her eyes, trying like mad to focus on resting. "I want pancakes."

"Pancakes?"

"I want a whole huge stack of freaking pancakes. Smothered in butter and syrup."

"What kind?"

"Buttermilk."

Chase had to admit, breakfast sounded good. He wondered if he would ever get to eat, since she couldn't. "Sorry, you can't have them now, but after these babies are delivered I'll get you a huge stack."

"With 100 percent natural maple syrup. None of that sugary factory enhanced crap."

"Deal."

She smiled and started to drift off again. A minute later she snapped herself out of it. "I better get out of this bath before I fall asleep in it and drown. Plus I'm turning into a prune."

Chase grabbed a towel. "Sleep would be good. It will probably be your last chance for a while."

-----------------------------------

**8:32 am**

"Hey there." Pamela entered with a big smile. "So it's been a rough night."

Chase was looking particularly peaked. "She's sleeping, finally. She must be exhausted, because according to that monitor she's slept through a couple contractions."

"How far apart are they?"

"Every five to seven minutes. Sometimes the contractions are intense, others aren't noticeable. They haven't done the hourly OB check yet since she was sleeping."

"When do you get to sleep?"

Chase scoffed, confirming that he was up for the long haul.

"I'll watch her. Go to the cafeteria and get some breakfast and coffee."

"She might get mad."

"No, she'll be out of her mind. But since that's going to happen anyway, at least you'll be fed and awake while going through it."

Chase smiled, not able to argue with that wisdom. "Thanks, I'm not turning away that offer." He got up to leave.

"Eric will be by later. It seems there's a development with your case."

"Just as long as he knows he's coming by at his own risk. I can't guarantee his safety, or mine."

"Go, before she wakes up."

Chase left and Pamela sat down next to Cameron. She noticed her breathing hitch and her body tense up for 35 seconds before loosening back up and continuing its deep slumber.

"Yep, I'm so glad I'll never have go through this." Pamela said.

--------------------------------------

**9:35 am**

"Hey momma," Foreman said all cheery.

Cameron was ready to maim or kill if she had to, but instead she only snarled.

"What's wrong with her?" He asked Chase.

"They just did an OB check. She's been stuck at three centimeters a while."

"Bummer. Hey, I'm on my way to do a kidney biopsy for Mr. Simmons."

"Kidney? What happened?"

"Positive ANA test and elevated levels of protein in the urine."

"You're not thinking-"

"No, but I have to rule it out."

Chase didn't see fault in that logic. "Good luck and keep me informed."

"Yeah, thanks for stopping by," Cameron said sardonically.

"You're looking good for a woman in labor." Foreman grinned enthusiastically while delivering his fake compliment.

"Shut up."

Foreman took a look at the electronic fetal monitor on his way out. "Uh, Chase, protect yourself. The next one is going to be bad."

Cameron was immediately hit by a long, painful contraction. Foreman shook his head while smiling. "I love the accuracy of these things."

"Get out!" Cameron yelled.

"I'm going. I'll be back later."

Cameron fell back into the pillow, still reeling from the agony of the last contraction.

"Come on," Chase said. "It's time for another walk."

"Please give me something I can beat people with each time they walk by with a smile."

Chase tried not to laugh, even though he found her crankiness adorable. "There are laws against that. A snarl will have to do."

"Stupid democracy. Can't I plead insanity?"

"Trust me, I'm concerned about the safety of others. There is no doubt you'd get off scot-free."

---------------------------

**10:48 am**

Cuddy finally had a break in between meetings, and was curious to see how things were going. Sure, a lot of her curiosity was for personal reasons, but she wanted to see how mom was coping after all this time.

She entered the room just as Cameron was yelping. She noticed her breathing heavily and being unable to speak. "Are they getting worse?"

"I suspect she's moving into active labor now. They just said she was at four centimeters and the contractions are sixty seconds every five minutes."

"Have you discussed pain medication yet?"

"No pain medication," Cameron said, gasping for air after coming off the contraction. "Given all the rotten luck I've had, I'm not taking any chances."

"I'm trying to convince her to take some Nubain or something like that." Chase said. "She'll exhaust herself otherwise."

"I suspect she'll see reason in a half hour. That's usually how long it takes a woman in that much pain to break."

"I won't be the only one breaking by the time this day is over." Cameron threatened. It was unclear who the threat was directed at, so they assumed it was society in general.

"She's been acting a little violent." Chase explained.

"People react to pain in different ways." Cuddy said. "Hang in there Cameron, you're doing great."

"I can't wait until it's your turn. Payback is hell." Cameron wasn't about to tolerate encouragement.

Cuddy bit her lower lip to hide her laughter. "Oh, Chase, good luck with that."

------------------------------------------------

**11:05 am**

"You're not going to believe this." Foreman said handing Chase the file.

Cameron, covered in sweat, face wrenching in pain, was not at all pleased to see Foreman there again in an official capacity. "Think this can wait?"

"Oh, this is too good to wait."

Chase read the contents and smiled. "Lupus? Seriously? We actually for once got a case that was Lupus?"

"Yeah, pretty funny, isn't it? I guess the law of averages has to kick in sometime."

Chase laughed along with him, but immediately stopped when Cameron tore through him with her 'I'm going to kill you' eyes.

"Uh, thanks for letting me know."

Foreman laughed. "You're looking great Cam. Keep it up."

"Vengeance will be mine!" She shouted as he left. She screamed out in pain once more.

"Hang in there," Chase said assuring her. "They've gone to get the narcotics. You should be feeling some relief soon."

"Hey there sweetie, looking great." Pamela greeted, coming in with a file in her hand. She had on the same fake cheery smile that everyone seemed to be wearing today, but hoped Allison would buy it anyway.

"Bite me," Cameron snarled.

"She's waiting for the drugs to arrive." Chase told her.

"How far apart are the contractions?"

"Every three to five minutes."

"Yeah, but the way these two are thrashing about in there, you would think that they would have punched through the abdomen wall by now." Cameron griped.

"Oh, you mean like in Alien? That was a cool scene." Pamela said fondly. Cameron threw the dagger-like glare again. She turned her attention back to Chase, knowing that it's always wise to avoid Medusa's eye or be turned to stone. "So she's getting an epidural?"

"A mild narcotic. She doesn't want to risk anymore complications."

Pamela laughed. "Oh, that's fucking crazy. Anyway, have you seen Eric?"

"He was here about two minutes ago." Chase said.

"I brought over another referral. I must have just missed him. Mind taking a look?"

"Sure, no problem."

Cameron went off. "Uh, yes, it's a problem! Wife in labor here, ring a bell????"

"We've got time." Chase said, opening the file and examining its contents.

Cameron leaned over, grabbed him tightly by the ear and pulled him toward her.

"Oww!"

"Put down that file or I swear your balls are next."

Pamela took the file from him, cringing at the thought of further physical harm being inflicted on Chase. "I'll find Eric."

"Thanks Pamela." Chase said. After she left, he was still in the same position. "You can let go of my ear now."

"No, I don't think so. My pain is your pain."

--------------------------------------

**12:52 pm**

House came into the room, seeing a barely lucid Cameron in the bed and Chase sitting a safe distance from her.

"She didn't go for the scrotum, did she?" House asked Chase.

"She tried, why do you think I'm here? Anyway, the Nubain is starting to wear off, so she'll be back to her abusive self soon."

"This is all your fault. You did this to me!" Cameron shouted.

"You've said that non-stop since you've gone into labor. It's lost all meaning." Chase defensively answered.

House was definitely amused. "I thought the woman giving birth was supposed to be the cranky one. Oh, that's right, you two are like this to each other when you're not having sex."

Chase rubbed his eyes and grumbled. "She's wearing me down. Must be because we've been up since 2:15."

House looked at the monitor tracking the contractions. "Whoa, she hasn't even hit the real heavy stuff yet. Bummer."

"How's the labor going?" Wilson came in, wearing the required fake smile.

House showed him the readings. Wilson winced. "I see she's got a while."

"Look Laurel and Hardy, is there any particular reason you are here harassing a woman giving birth! All three of you need a serious neutering." Cameron's violent streak was coming definitely back.

"Oh, she's in the man hating part of delivery. How cool is that?" House teased.

Wilson looked at the monitor and got panicked. "House, back away, she's about to blow." He jumped back right as Cameron yelled over another contraction.

"Why are there so many people in here? I believe only the dad is allowed." The nurse was not at all pleased to see a crowd.

"Great job there controlling the access, Police Woman." Cameron sniped. You might as well have installed a revolving door to make it easier on all the visitors."

"Dr. House, Dr. Wilson, since I don't believe you have a medical reason to be here, out!"

"Can I leave too?" Chase asked.

"You are never getting sex from me again!" Cameron yelled at him.

"Fine!"

The nurse flashed a menacing look at House. "I'm going."

"Good luck, Cameron, Chase." Wilson said, playing his usual role of nice guy before leaving in haste.

Cameron threw her head to the side, glad that they were finally gone. "You here to check?"

"Yep. Has your husband looked recently?"

"He won't come near me, fearing physical harm."

The nurse laughed. "That fear is justified. Okay, checking now." She lifted up the gown. "Five centimeters. You're progressing."

"Just kill me." She said.

"I can give you another dose of Nubain."

"No." She said, weakly shaking her head. "I'm not flirting with fate here."

"To hell with that!" Chase said with raised voice. "You need more drugs and now. Shoot her up."

The nurse knew she was going to have to take control. "Okay, she needs more drugs and dad needs a break. Dr. Chase, I'm kicking you out as well. Come back in an hour after you've had some lunch and coffee."

She turned to Cameron next. "Allison, I'll be back soon. This will at least buy you another hour of relief." She quickly left, determined to get Cameron some help fast.

Cameron wearily nodded in agreement and then went into another intense contraction. Chase took her hand to support her. Once she was done, she looked at him with pure scorn. "I thought you were kicked out. Now go away!"

-------------------------

**a/n: A quick thank you to everyone reading this, even those that don't do reviews. Judging by the alerts I've been getting, there are many out there that are liking this, so I appreciate all those following the story. This has been a very fun story to write and I'm thrilled you can join in on the fun. **


	25. 24 Hours, part 2

**a/n: Thanks to all the wonderful comments about the last chapter! And so fast too, so your reward is a quick update. I know from personal experience, it's not uncommon for a woman in hard labor to go through some type of temporary psychosis (not literal, but out of her mind for sure). I pictured Cameron going violent. I'm so glad so many people dug the dark humor. That's why I divided the chapters this way, the funny stuff first, and now the nitty-gritty. On with the rest! **

**-------------------------------------**

**2:15 pm**

Chase ran into Dr. Ades outside the room. "Did you just see her?"

"Yes, still at five centimeters."

"Did she try to kill you?"

The doctor chuckled. "Honestly, I want to tell you I've seen worse behavior to make you feel better, but I'd be lying. She's as bad as it gets. If it's any consolation, there have been others just as bad."

"Great," Chase replied, feeling rather defeated.

"Robert, her hypertension got worse there for a bit, and her little fits weren't helping. If she doesn't progress soon, we might have to consider other options."

"You mean a c-section."

"Yes, but we aren't there yet. I'm checking in with the nurse hourly. A lot of times these things work out on their own."

"So I have to find a way to prevent her outbursts? Especially since I'm the main target?"

"Actually, you might be okay there too, at least for now. She's exhausted and incoherent. It's a combination of fatigue from the pain and the second dose of medication."

Chase sighed in relief. "Sorry, that probably seems awful of me."

"You're not the first dad to do that. Go ahead, she could use you now."

"Thanks."

Chase pushed open the door cautiously. He saw Cameron on her side, asleep. He sat down next to the bed and took her hand. She lightly grasped his in kind, but didn't stir to talk to him. Her touch sent the simple message that she needed him now.

Every few minutes her breathing intensified and her grip on his hand strengthened as she worked her way through a wave of agony, all while never opening her eyes. Once it was done, she was back sleeping.

The nurse came in to check. "How's she doing?"

"She's sleeping in between contractions."

"It's rare, but not unheard of. Her body is finding a good way to cope with the exhaustion."

"It must be working. BP and heart rate are better." Chase was no specialist on the subject when labor was involved, but he saw others in the ICU like this when they were in extreme pain. The rest was the best thing for them. All he could do was make Allison aware that he was there for her. In many cases, that was all the patient needed.

Chase looked at the readouts. "I see a progression with her contractions. Chances are the hard labor is coming soon."

"Yes, it's likely." The nurse replied.

Chase cracked a sympathetic smile and brushed his hand on the top of Cameron's head. "You see, they're working things out on their own."

--------------------------------------------------------------

**3:48 pm**

"Hey, I need your help with something," Foreman said to Chase. He looked at Cameron, who was gasping for air, shaking profusely and completely drenched with sweat. "Hey, is she in transition?"

"Yep," Chase replied. "Contractions are every one to two minutes, intense, and lasting for over a minute. Several are overlapping. Last OB check a half hour ago still had her at five centimeters though."

Cameron was in way too much pain to protest or shoo Foreman out. "I…can't …take…any…more," Cameron tried to stutter out.

"How long has this been going on?" Foreman asked.

"Twenty minutes."

"I won't bother you too much then. Just sign here." Chase went to sign, but was alarmed by Cameron's blood curdling scream. "That's different."

"I…want…to…push," she tried to get out.

"Now?" Chase asked. He wasted no time lifting up the sheet to see what was happening. He looked up at Foreman with complete shock. "She's got bloody discharge, bulging at the perineum and her cervix fully dilated."

"She's about to deliver," Foreman said, knowing he now had to leave. "I'll get the nurse and get out of your way. Good luck!"

Cameron screamed again as the next contraction made her feel like she was going to pop open.

"Hang in there for a few more minutes." Chase urged, running to her side to help her maintain control.

The nurse rushed in and did her check. "Holy crap, the head is crowing. She dilated five centimeters in a half hour? Hang on Allison, whatever you do, don't push. Dr. Ades is on her way."

For five agonizing minutes, Cameron fought the onslaught of pain and pressure in her birth canal. In between the frequent contractions and strain building within, she wasn't getting any relief. Chase helped by rubbing her back and telling her over and over again to hang on.

Dr. Ades burst through the door, followed by a doctor from the neonatal team and a pediatric nurse. "Let's see what we've got."

She breathed a little sigh of relief. "The top of the head went back in, but its close. Let's get you on your back. You're going to have to push on the next big contraction."

The nurse pulled back the sheet, exposing Cameron's lower half and adjusted the mirror above the bed. "Watch the mirror Allison, you'll be able to see it all."

Chase got her in position for delivery. He rolled her over, slid her to the edge of the bed and propped her up. Once she was in position, he grabbed her hand and kissed her forehead. "It's going to happen."

"I'm…too…tired…to…do…more." She protested in between heavy gasps.

"You can do it." Chase encouraged her. "I'll help you."

She tried desperately to catch her breath and get prepared for the task ahead. He mind was in a deep fog and she could barely process what was going on. It was coming on too fast, even though she had been waiting for this all day. Finally, another huge jolt hit her. "It's…happen…ing."

"Okay Allison, we're ready. Push!"

She clenched her teeth, took in a deep breath, bore down and gave a big push. The pressure was unbearable. She and Chase saw the top of the head pop out in the mirror.

"Okay stop." Dr. Ades did a quick exam. "Lucky for you, this baby is small enough where I don't need to do an episiotomy."

Cameron was still reeling and desperately wanted to keep pushing. She was way too uncomfortable. She anxiously waited for the next contraction, needing to get this thing out now. Her chance came thirty seconds later.

"Okay Allison, push!"

She gave it all she had for a good minute. She and Chase watched the mirror, seeing that her efforts were helping, but the advancement was slow. She collapsed backward in exhaustion when she couldn't do anymore.

"That was good." Dr. Ades was now holding the head, which was face down, and one shoulder had slipped out. "It doesn't look like the baby is caught on anything. You can push again next contraction."

Cameron was still too overcome by fatigue. "I can't. I don't have anything left."

"You can't stop now," Chase told her. "You're so close. Just relax."

She tried to relax, but another thirty seconds later, it happened again.

"Okay Allison, let's try again. Push!"

She screamed loudly and poured every inch of energy she could into one more effort. She clenched her teeth and closed her eyes tight to focus all her strength.

"It's working," Chase told her, whose hand was practically crushed by now with her grip. He was too caught up in the moment to notice.

After a minute she fell back again and didn't hear crying. She was too afraid to open her eyes and see how much further the baby got that time. She wanted to tell the doctor to just yank it out now, for she had nothing left.

"Allison, open your eyes." Chase said calmly.

She opened her eyes and saw her overjoyed husband, who was near tears. She glanced at Dr. Ades next, who was holding and inspecting a perfectly healthy baby. "Baby girl, born at 4:12 pm." She announced for the official record.

Chase and Cameron had no time to share a reaction before Dr. Ades clamped down the umbilical cord and grabbed a pair of scissors. "Robert, your turn." He gave Cameron a kiss, and smiled with pride as he cut the cord.

The neonatologist immediately took the child. Chase followed her to offer whatever assistance he could.

"Robert, she isn't crying, please tell me she's healthy." Cameron said, not feeling any pain or pressure at the moment. Just worry.

Chase was too absorbed in the examination to answer right away. "Two large beautiful blue eyes are staring right at me." A minute into the examination, the baby started crying.

Cameron started weeping with happiness. "That's better."

The neonatologist liked the breath sounds, and handed Chase the stethoscope. He listened and let loose a big smile. "No respiratory distress. She's fine."

That made Cameron sob harder. While she was preoccupied, the nurse came over and pressed down her stomach. "We don't want the other baby to turn."

Dr. Ades pulled out the ultrasound machine. "I need to see where the other baby is. I don't see it in the birth canal yet."

Cameron wanted to see the ultrasound, but too much was distracting her. Instead, she watched the neonatologist and Chase finish up with their daughter.

"He's still vertex, but far up," Dr. Ades announced. "It looks like I need to break his membranes." She wasted no time in grabbing a hook and pushing it through the cervix. Cameron felt the familiar gush of fluid.

"I don't think I can go through this again. I'm wiped." Then she noticed something. "I'm not feeling any contractions."

"They tend to stop for a few minutes, sometimes up to ten. Don't get too comfortable though, they'll be back." The nurse said.

"This might help you pass the time." Chase stood next to her, holding their swaddled baby girl in his arms. "5 lbs, 6 oz."

Cameron took the child gently and was overcome with joy. "Hello there. You're so tiny, so beautiful." For the next several minutes they were completely mesmerized by their infant, lost in her beautiful eyes and face.

Their family moment was short lived when Cameron felt a contraction. "It looks like your brother wants out now." She said to the baby.

"Pushing won't be as hard the second time through." Dr. Ades said.

Chase saw the pediatric nurse standing by. "The baby can go to the nursery and be checked out while we finish up here." He took her from Cameron, gave one more adoring gaze to his beautiful girl, and handed the baby off.

"Bye sweetheart," Cameron said watching the child be taken away. She felt two powerful and long contractions on top of each other, followed by the familiar pressure. "Oh, not again."

After those two though, the contractions weren't as intense as when she delivered the first. They certainly weren't happening one on top of another. She was surprised five minutes later when should could announce this without overbearing agony. "I feel like pushing."

Dr. Ades took her place and Chase took his.

The pressure kept getting worse. Unlike the first time though, she felt a new surge in energy. She was anxious to see her son now, and finally be done with this.

"I see the top of the head Allison. Next big contraction you can push."

She felt like an old pro at this now. She knew she could get through this. "I'm ready," she told Chase confidently. She felt the pain hit her, and clutched onto his hand for dear life.

"Push!"

She did, and made this one good and strong. She didn't know how long it took, but didn't care. Her eyes again were clenched closed, but this time when she was finished she heard crying. Loud crying. Absolute bawling. She opened them to see Dr. Ades again holding another healthy but hysterical child.

"One push. I told you it would be easier. Baby boy, born at 4:28 pm."

Cameron cried again while Chase cut the cord, and joined the neonatologist. "He's a cutie," Chase told her. "Tons of hair."

The neonatologist checked the lungs, and then let Chase listen. He nodded in agreement. She covered up the baby with a blanket and rolled the crib out.

"What's the matter?" A startled Cameron asked.

Chase gave her a warm smile, not wanting to worry her. "He's fine, but he has mild respiratory distress. They can check him out better in the NICU and give him some oxygen. Don't worry, it's nothing unusual for 35 weeks. He's very strong otherwise"

"What was the weight?"

"4 lbs, 12 oz." He proudly announced.

Cameron smiled, glad to hear such a healthy weight. She knew Robert was right, and was going to be positive. Besides, her work wasn't done. She still had to deliver the placenta.

"Why are you still here with me?" Cameron lightly scolded Chase. "Get to the NICU with your son and put all those years of Intensivist training to good use."

He happily gave her a kiss. "Yes ma'am. I'll check on our girl too. See you in post delivery."

Cameron sighed. "I thought he'd never leave. Now I can get some sleep."

"Rest for now, Allison." Dr. Ades instructed. "The next part will be very easy."

-------------------------------------------

**4:45 pm**

Fifteen minutes after feeling very light contractions that were almost laughable compared to what she felt earlier, she was ready for the next step.

"Okay Allison, we'll know in a minute if the two placentas fused together. When I tell you, push."

Cameron didn't feel any more pain, so she could easily do what the doctor asked. "Now Allison." She pushed and a placenta easily fell out.

Dr. Ades examined the placenta and attached membranes, looking satisfied with the results. "Good. The two placentas did fuse together. All the pieces look like they're here too." She felt the outside of the uterus. "It's contracting hard and I don't see any excessive bleeding. You are finally done."

The doctor tore off her gloves and took in a huge breath of relief. "Congratulations Allison. After everything, you got the best possible outcome. Two healthy babies."

"Thanks." Cameron said, thankful it was all out of her.

"Get some rest tonight. You've earned it. I'll see you when I do rounds tomorrow morning."

"Thanks Dr. Ades. For everything."

"Make sure you thank your husband too. His efforts through this entire pregnancy have been invaluable."

"I will, once I'm done hating him for doing this to me."

Dr. Ades laughed at her joke. "The sense of humor is back. Good sign. Enjoy your evening with your new family."

-------------------

**5:30 pm**

"Congratulations Dr. Cameron. You are now officially in the fourth stage of labor." The nurse delivered her to her maternity suite that would be home for the next two days.

"You can call me Allison since I'm a patient. I don't mind."

"Okay Allison." The nurse helped her out of the wheelchair and into the bed. "The cafeteria is sending up a meal for you. Your job right now is to eat and then get some sleep. You should be all set for now. I'll be back later to go over post-delivery care."

The nurse left, leaving Cameron all alone. The isolation felt so weird. After all the commotion, the hours of delivery and myriad of visitors, she was alone. She should be enjoying this moment. For the first time in eight months, she didn't feel sickly or nauseous. She didn't feel like her body was a giant incubator. She didn't feel like she wanted to explode.

She sighed though, realizing she missed her family. She wanted her babies and husband in the worst way. After ten minutes of depressing isolation, there was a knock on the door. It was someone from the cafeteria, delivering her meal.

"You're a pretty lucky VIP today. One call from administration and a special meal was prepared just for you." She took off the plate cover. Cameron's eyes bulged out of her head in surprise.

"Pancakes? Oh that's perfect."

"There's a note too." She handed it to her.

_Apparently this sorry ass cafeteria doesn't serve pure maple syrup. I'll be fixing that. You'll have to live with the fake stuff tonight. - Pamela._

Cameron laughed. "Give my compliments to the chef."

The delivery person snarled and left. She apparently wasn't fond of special requests.

Cameron paused for a few seconds before tearing into her dinner. She had a lot to be thankful for. Of all the things that could have gone wrong, everything went right for once. She'd have to remember to tell Robert to thank that God of his.

"Screw that, it's time to eat." She dug in.

_----------------------_

**7:18 pm**

Chase quietly pushed open the room door. He saw Cameron rolled on her side, chest rising and falling in relaxed intervals. He gingerly rolled in the hospital crib, careful not to make any noises.

Cameron must not have been sleeping that heavily, because as soon as he sat beside her she stirred. She instantly melted at the sight of dad holding his baby girl.

"Gimme." She said, sitting up and stretching out her arms.

Chase smiled and carefully handed the baby to her as if she were a piece of china. "The nursery's all done with her. She gets to stay in here for the time being."

Cameron made cute little faces at her baby, surprised that she felt so natural in her arms. The child seemed perfectly content. "How's our son?"

"He's great. He has to stay isolated for 24 hours, but only because it's standard procedure. They've got him on supplemental oxygen, but he doesn't need a respirator."

Cameron gave a bittersweet smile. It was good he was going to be okay, but she so wanted him there now. They didn't feel like a complete family.

"I can take you to him later. He needs to bond with his mother so he can learn how to breastfeed. As a matter of fact, the nurse will be in soon to help you start with her."

Cameron couldn't keep her eyes off of the baby. "You hungry honey? Mom won't have any milk for you for a couple of days. You'll have to make do with colostrum." She kissed the child's forehead. "You are so perfect, Emily Amanda Chase."

Chase's face lit up in surprise. "Not the other way around?"

"No, you were right to wait and see what the baby looks like. She looks more like an Emily."

Chase moved closer to join in on the adoration of his infant daughter. "I'll just call her baby doll."

"That won't work when she's twelve."

"Tough. I'm daddy, I get the right to embarrass her."

Cameron grinned, picturing Robert in the future with a shotgun protecting his teenage daughter. "I can't believe it. Look what we made."

"We made two of them. Wait until you hold your son, it's really something."

The nurse came in. "Okay Allison, ready to try breastfeeding? It's going to hurt at first until your nipples toughen up."

"Bring it on. After what I've been through, there is no amount of pain that can compare."

----------------------

**10:02 pm**

Chase clutched in his arms his bawling wife. He had tried for ten minutes now to calm her down, but wasn't getting anywhere. "I didn't want to leave him." She tearfully said.

"He's in good hands. They'll release him into the nursery tomorrow morning. He should be with us by the afternoon."

The NICU had always been hard on her. Many of the babies were so small and struggling so much. She was so relieved when her son proved to be bigger, stronger, and healthier than any of the children in there. He was sound asleep, happy, and didn't need oxygen anymore. Despite all that, it killed her to see him in there.

"He's so sweet. He needs his momma."

"I know. He'll be with us soon."

She remembered when the young infant cracked his eyes open thinly and gazed at her as if she was warmly familiar to him. It seemed like he missed her when she held him close. Robert told her the babies know the heartbeat. That memory clung in her head, and made her cry harder.

"He took to breastfeeding pretty easily, didn't he?" Chase said with pride.

"He's a natural with nipples, just like his dad."

Chase laughed. "Yes, I'm going to have to get used to not being the only one lusting after your boobs."

Cameron cheered up a bit with their shared laughter. She sat up, wiped her eyes, and lovingly gazed into Robert's eyes. "The name is perfect by the way. There's no way I could have done better."

"Knock knock," a voice said from the door.

"How did you get in there? Visiting hours are over." Cameron asked.

Pamela was shocked she would get such a question. "You obviously underestimate my influence and power around here."

"You look like you've been through hell." Foreman honestly said to Cameron. He was glad he could ditch the fake sincerity routine now. Then he noticed Chase. "I take that back. He actually looks worse."

"He didn't get a nap like I did. Then again, he didn't agonizingly have to push two human beings through a small hole." Cameron teased.

Pamela was too busy fawning all over the new baby to pay attention to their comments. "Baby Girl Chase?" She noticed the name tag on the side of the crib. "Don't you have a name yet?"

"Yes, we just haven't made it official yet. Pamela, Eric, meet Emily Amanda."

"Aww, that's adorable." Pamela looked around. "Didn't you have two?"

"He's in the NICU," Chase said. "Mild respiratory distress. He's off oxygen now and should be with us by tomorrow."

"Let me guess, his name is Baby Boy Chase." Foreman said.

Cameron and Chase both smiled at each other. "Ethan Christopher." Cameron announced.

Chase pulled out his cell phone and shared the photos they snapped earlier in the NICU, including a couple of mom and dad each proudly holding their boy.

"Damn is he cute." Pamela said. "What hair. I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

"Come on," Foreman said to Chase. "We'll let the ladies catch up. You and I are having a cigar in House's office. Wilson is there too. We might want to get there before they smoke them all without us."

They left without hesitation, knowing asking for permission would only doom them.

"Who needs them anyway?" Pamela said. "It's girl bonding time."

------------------------------------------------

**2:15 am**

"Robert! Wake up!"

Chase stirred, realizing he was hearing the cries of their baby girl. "Welcome to parenthood," he sleepily said, rolling off of the bench near the window that was meant to be a bed for fathers. "I'll get her for you."

"This kid needs to learn which side of 2:00 to be on." Cameron complained. "Two nights in a row."

Chase picked up Emily, and rested her on his shoulder for a few pats before delivering her to mom. Cameron offered her nipple, and the child lightly chomped on it, not getting the most out of it she could.

"I don't know how she can be so happy with so little." She said, noticing that it would take both of them a while to get this feeding this down.

"Yum, delicious antibodies." Chase said, flopping back down on his bed.

"How am I going to do this with two?"

"You have two breasts, right?"

"Will it be enough?"

"Why don't you ask the lactation specialist tomorrow?"

Cameron shook her head while watching the infant struggle to latch on. "We're in for some surprises, aren't we?"

"Questions I can hardly ponder at 2:15 in the morning." He replied.

"We're new parents. Face it, 2:15 am is the new family bonding hour. Ethan might want a different time too."

Chase let out a big yawn and reluctantly accepted that for a while anyway, hope of a full night's sleep was gone. "Yep, we're in trouble."


	26. Adjustments

**a/n: It seems that this site has been having problems lately where chapters have gone missing. Since the ff net has always been a little prone to problems, I'm going to now start posting these chapters (as well as my entire catalog) on my livejournal site just in case they're not accessible here. I'll include the link for my stories on my profile page soon. Of course livejournal had their own problems the other day, but that seems to be the only time I've noticed both sites acting up at the same time. **

**This is a transition chapter showing the week after the big event. Enjoy!**

**---------------------------- **

"Dr. Chase!"

He dropped his shoulders, knowing exactly what this was about. He wasn't in the mood. Since Ethan had been moved to the nursery this morning, he promised his wife he would check on him. Emily had been taken there as well for some routine checks, reuniting brother and sister.

"I understand congratulations are in order."

"Yes Ramone, the babies are well, as is Allison."

"Fantastic. Look, did you happen to get the fundal height?"

"Why of course." Chase was lying, but wasn't in the mood to go check it out. "In millimeters, right?"

"Yes, that's what I need."

"Let me do the conversion in my head." He of course wasn't, he was just stalling so he could throw out a number. "402."

Ramone got very excited and grabbed him in a big bear hug. "Oh that's wonderful! I'm the closest. You've made me so happy."

"Glad I could help," he replied with a slighty muffled voice as Ramone was squeezing the breath out of him. If he wasn't a new father, he was sure people would be talking.

Ramone let go and walked away briskly. He turned around and shouted to Chase, "Give Dr. Cameron my best. I've got to go put in for my half day off."

Chase shook his head and laughed at him, probably due to being giddy from fatigue. _Now where was I going?_ He realized he was standing outside the nursery. _Oh yeah, babies._

----------------------

Pamela and Foreman gazed through the glass, from outside of the nursery, watching the babies get their final check before being reunited with their mother and father.

Pamela's mouth hung open and her heart melted over all the children, amazed over how adorable they were. She rarely got a chance to see babies like this. Then her face scrunched a bit.

"What is it?" Foreman asked, wondering what she spotted.

"Man, I don't want to say such a thing, since we know things usually don't stay that way, but that little Emily is a homely looking chick. Look at how puffy her face is. She looks like she has taken a few whacks from a baseball bat."

Foreman shrugged. "She was born five weeks early."

"That one over there was seven weeks early. Look at her. Those big blue eyes, curly hair and soft round face is darling. Emily, she's a blowfish."

Foreman busted out laughing, trying very hard to contain the noise level of his laughter. "Little Ethan is pretty."

"Just like his dad. Scary, isn't it? You think he's started hitting on the nurses yet?"

"Look at that nurse tending to him. She's falling all over him. I'd say so."

Pamela sighed, showing what a complete sucker she was for all things tiny and cute. "I'm still really glad I can't have one of these things, but I might be up for babysitting."

"Shh, don't tell Chase and Cameron yet. Wait until they're super desperate. It'll give us bargaining power."

"You mean you. You need every chance you can get to one up Robert in that partnership of yours."

"Damn straight. That's the law of business."

They stared for another minute, taking the time to reflect how precious life really is. "Yep, she's still ugly." Pamela said.

--------------------------------------

Pamela and Foreman came in for their promised noon time visit. They noticed both Chase and Cameron staring at a packet on the table. "We just got the pictures."

"Pictures?"

"Yes, the babies' first photos. The ones the hospital takes of all babies the day after they're born."

"That's because they need to exploit the parents immediately so they'll hook you into buying for this crap for life." Foreman said.

Pamela elbowed him in disapproval and came over to admire the professionally taken photos of the two children. They were obviously posed to for photogenic purposes to impress the parents, despite how unnatural it looked. They even tried to put a bow on Emily's head, which had to be pretty hard considering she was bald.

Pamela looked puzzled. "Ethan looks strangely calm. He didn't resist the pose they put him in like his sister."

Chase and Cameron both glimpsed at each other and smiled. "Yeah, well that's because he had just been circumcised. He was a little stunned." Chase explained.

That made Foreman wince.

Pamela handed the photos back. "They're lovely." She punched Foreman in the arm. "Aren't they adorable?"

"Yeah, they're uh, sweet."

Pamela sat down, making herself comfortable. "Okay, something's been bothering me, so I'm going to have to ask now. How did you two come up with the names?"

Chase and Cameron looked at each other, signaling each other to start first.

"I chose Amanda," Cameron said, taking charge. "He said Emily. When we found out the other one was a boy, I put the two together. Amanda Emily. When I saw her though, I switched the names."

"Why those names?"

Cameron hadn't told anyone her reason before, especially Robert. "Amanda was a friend in high school. She died in a car accident. I've always loved the name."

Pamela nodded, happy with that answer. "Okay Robert, fess up. Why Emily?"

He smiled. "My mother always loved that name. If I was a girl, that would have been my name."

Pamela was actually humbled there for a second. It ended. "Aww, nice reasons. I'm sure your mother was bitterly disappointed that you were a boy, since she obviously picked your name out of a hat. What about Ethan?"

Chase's face grew serious. "Christopher comes from St. Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, who's a popular Catholic saint and one I always said a blessing to while going places. Ethan was a strong, optimistic, and very wise man in the Hebrew bible. 'Self-nullification and love were etched indelibly on all subsequent Jewish souls and for them they longed for their great leader who God would name Ethan.'"

The room fell silent. Even Cameron was touched by that story, despite the religious references. "Wow, that's so lovely." Pamela said.

Chase broke into a cunning smile. "Good story isn't it? I actually found that online yesterday. No, I picked Ethan Christopher because I loved the names."

Cameron was ready to hurt him, but her displeasure was short lived as the door opened. It was the day nurse, coming in with two cribs.

Cameron's face instantly grew a wide and teary smile. "Oh, I've been waiting for them to get here."

The nurse pushed the cribs next to the bed. "Both are all set, and both have been cleared by the pediatrician to go home tomorrow, with you."

"Ethan can come home with us?"

The beaming nurse nodded.

Chase picked up his son, holding him so gingerly. Ethan had his eyes wide open, as if he knew he was finally with his family. "We missed you."

He saw Cameron's anxiousness and delivered the boy to her arms. She clutched onto him for dear life, hoping he would never have to be separated from them again.

Pamela and Foreman all of a sudden felt out of place. "We should be going. You guys need some quality family time." Pamela said.

Chase picked up Emily and sat down next to Cameron and Ethan. "Normally I would say nonsense, but you're right. Get out."

"You don't have to tell us twice," Foreman said. They cleared out in a hurry, leaving the now complete family behind.

---------------------------------------------

"You paged me?" House said, limping into the hospital room in protest.

"Pick a child." Cameron told him.

"You're giving kids away? Should have thought of that before you got pregnant."

"Sit down and pick which baby you want to hold."

"I'm not going to-"

"Sit!" She ordered. He sat down abruptly.

Cameron got up and went to her two babies. She grabbed Ethan and placed him in House's arms.

"Why did you pick the boy?" House asked holding him awkwardly.

"Because I think Cuddy is having a boy. Your son."

"I don't know what you heard but -"

"Don't give me that. Wilson's a bad liar and I was only half asleep that day. Now be quiet and see what holding a baby feels like."

House's attempt was half-hearted at best. He looked over the boy, who seemed as displeased as he was to be in this situation. House couldn't help but think that this boy could read people as well as his dad. He knew a grouchy son-of-a-bitch when he saw one.

"Of course I could be wrong. Would you like to hold the girl just in case?"

"Whatever you're trying to do, it won't work."

"Yeah, you should hold the girl too." She took Ethan from his arms, placed him back in the crib and gave House Emily.

She didn't mind him so much. He took time to stare at the tiny little life in his arms. He noticed the pure innocence in those bright eyes. No worries, no concerns, no drug addictions. He never really saw that in any being before, but it figured it only could exist in a baby. She hadn't been corrupted yet.

They heard the door open and Cuddy walked in. As soon as House saw her, he handed back Emily to Cameron and got up. "It didn't work." He told her.

"Lisa." He said to Cuddy before walking out the door.

Cuddy's stunned look left her at a loss for words. She shook her head instead. "I don't want to know. So, is it my turn to hold now?"

Cameron sighed, not blaming herself for trying. "Pick a child."

---------------------------------------

Chase unlocked the door, putting down the carrier that held his baby girl. Cameron was all jittery behind him, taking time to glance at the baby in her hand, cozily resting in his seat.

"Okay, we're home." He pushed the door wide open, letting Cameron go through first.

"It feels like I haven't been here in weeks." She said, feeling overjoyed by the fact she was finally there.

She loved seeing all the flowers and gifts she got while in the hospital on the kitchen island. It enhanced the much overdue welcome. "Thanks for bringing those here ahead of time. They're lovely to come home to."

Chase grabbed both children and placed them side by side, still in their car seats, in front of the couch. "Come on, it's my favorite part. Time for watch the sleeping babies."

Cameron fell onto the couch beside him, feeling like this was one of the greatest moments of her life. It probably was. "Look at the matching hats."

He smiled, thinking they would look adorable in anything. "Who knew that babies came with hats? Those hospital ones aren't too fashionable though. We need to get something a little more stylish."

"Oh, you mean like your hats? You're going to have to leave that task up to me."

"What's wrong with my hats?"

"Nothing," she said backpedaling. "They just cover that beautiful wavy hair of yours." She gave him a little peck on the cheek.

"Oh, I get it, kill me with flattery. Smooth move."

"I don't need to use flattery to win you over. You're stuck with me for good. We've procreated. We're joined at the hip now."

"Oh yeah, my life in hell," he said sarcastically, gazing fondly at the children in front of him.

Their moment of contentment lasted only a few minutes, when Emily went sour faced and started to cry.

Cameron frowned. "She seems be eating every two hours. My nipples are still too cracked and raw from her chomping."

"Just wait until she starts getting fresh milk. She won't be able to leave them alone."

"Yeah, that's my fear. I'm already feeling some fullness. I'm sure by tomorrow it will be a milk feast for both of them."

Emily's wails became more pronounced, causing Ethan to stir a little. "Not very patient, is she?" Cameron picked up the child and settled into feeding mode. Emily latched on tightly, causing Cameron to grimace.

Even Chase cringed a bit. He wouldn't be that harsh on a nipple. "I'm sure it will toughen up in a few more days."

Cameron bit her lip while the little suckling continued to crush her. "I think it'll fall off before then."

---------------------------------------

The familiar cries echoed through the baby monitor. Cameron stirred, knowing it was time to do her duty. 3:30 am. She was up only an hour ago with Emily. Judging by the cries, it was Ethan's turn. She wondered how Chase could sleep through all this. Since he had to go to work tomorrow, she'd have to handle it on her own.

She shuffled into the nursery like a zombie, wondering why they hadn't put a bed in there for her. She picked up her son and pulled out her swollen and red bulging nipple for him. It barely had time to let the lanolin do its healing before having to feed again. Lucky for her, Ethan was nice and gentile. It still hurt, but it didn't feel like her boob was being chewed off. He didn't eat much anyway. He more enjoyed the latching on and snuggling against mom more than the actual nourishment he was getting.

Her eyes drifted shut shortly after he attached himself. Ten minutes later, she shot awake, switched Ethan to the other side and fell back asleep.

Cries rang out again, snapping her out of her dozing. In her haze she found herself still in the rocking chair, Ethan sleeping in her arms. "I only fed you an hour ago," Cameron said to her crying girl. Then she noticed the time. 5:00 am. It had been two and half hours and it was time for another feeding. She looked down at her open and drooping breast, which was leaking milk all over her son and her nightclothes. At least she had a fresh supply to offer.

She put Ethan down and picked up her upset baby. Emily latched onto the exposed nipple before Cameron even made it to the chair. "Ow, ow. Easy baby girl." She couldn't sleep through Emily's feedings. The surge in pain was just too much.

"Leave some for your brother," she told her while she was biting vigorously. "He'll want to eat in another hour or two." She then wondered if this was how cows did it.

--------------------------------------

Chase came home to find Cameron still in her nightgown, dozing on the couch, with Emily and Ethan nearby in their bassinets. Emily was asleep, while Ethan lied there peacefully and was pleased to see his dad. Chase pulled him into his arms. "Hey there little guy. Have a good day?" He could easily get used to this kind of homecoming every day.

He stood over Cameron, who looked like hell. The pale complexion, the dark circles under her eyes, and the messed up hair was his clue. To help out, he brought home dinner, something he would be doing for a while. She didn't have much time for anything else other than caring for the babies and trying to rest. He thought about waking her and letting her know dinner was here, but she looked so exhausted.

Before long, Emily started crying. "Oh for god's sake girl," Cameron griped, now awake. She noticed Chase standing over her. "Grow some milk in your breasts and make her shut up."

Chase chuckled lightly, not wanting to irritate his cranky wife. "Life would be easier that way, wouldn't it? Let her cry. Eat something yourself first."

"No," Cameron said reluctantly and got up. "It's maternal instinct to care for the child first, plus I want to eat in peace." She glanced at the time. "Two hours, like clockwork."

"When did Ethan last eat?"

"An hour ago. He wasn't sleeping?"

"Nope, content and happy, staring at everything around him."

She gave Emily a breast, then flinched. "Ethan, you're officially my favorite."

"Shh," Chase said. "We can't give the children complexes this early in life. Wait until they are old enough for their spirits to be broken properly."

"Easy for you to say. Sleep deprivation isn't driving you to thoughts of ill will. No wonder some mothers snap."

"Allison,"

"Fine, I'll tone it down. I don't mean it. I'm just having trouble adjusting, that's all."

Chase sat down and put his free arm around her. "We're in this together. We are a family now."

"You lactating?"

Chase didn't give her the obvious answer.

"Then you're useless."

------------------------------------------------------------

Cameron held little Ethan in her arms, clutching him tightly, rocking back and forth for soothing. The soothing wasn't for him though. He was well fed and happily sleeping. It was for her, who was sobbing.

"Care to talk about it?" Chase asked while rescuing his boy from his hysterical mother. He knew the last few days had been hard on her, and was wondering when she would crack.

"What's there to talk about? I haven't slept for more than two hours in days. My boobs are so engorged they feel like they're going to explode, yet I can't get these kids to feed properly. Emily's ripped my nipples into shreds, and she sucks me so dry I don't think I'm giving her enough. Ethan's on an opposite schedule of every three hours, and he eats so little it I don't get any relief from milk being released at all. I'm at my breaking point."

Chase put Ethan down into his crib and knelt down next to his wife. "There are ways to make this better now that your milk has come in. If you're engorged I'll help you pump right now. The extra milk will allow me to feed Emily next time, giving you a rest. Let her rip on a rubber nipple."

"It won't be enough."

"I'm sure it will be. You should also be pumping after feeding Ethan, to get the extra milk out. She can use that too."

Cameron took a minute to compose herself. Chase gave her a tissue and watched patiently. "It's not going to work you know," she said. "You're trying to come up with a rational plan with a hormonally wrecked and sleep deprived woman who is anything but rational right now."

Chase smiled. "I know. It's one of those burdens a dad must bear."

She opened her mouth, but he cut her off.

"I know, this is all my fault. Looking at these two precious babies, I claim full responsibility."

She broke into deeper sobs.

"What now?"

"You're so damn good to me. What would I do without you?"

"I take responsibility for that too."

----------------------------

**a/n: Just FYI, I'm starting to plot the story to the end. There is an end in sight now. It will be several more chapters, but it's time to wrap this one up. **


	27. It All Changes Now

**a/n: This site was acting up again yesterday, so this update had to be delayed. Thanks for those that followed it on my livejournal site. **

**There are only four or five chapters left. This is one of them. I apologize for the delay in updates, but I have been writing a lot of stuff for this story. I just didn't figure out the proper structure of this chapter until today. Hopefully this will mean more frequent updates until the end. **

**In this chapter, I mention Cameron has a sister. Now I know in the show they revealed she also has a brother (they never said she didn't have a sister), but in Take the Ducklings Bowling before that was said I wrote she only had a sister. That's my continuity and I'm sticking to it. **

**Happy reading! **

**----------------------------------**

"We're home!" Chase shouted when he saw no sign of his wife or children.

"Upstairs!"

He and his special visitor climbed up the large staircase and went into the nursery. Cameron was just finishing up with Emily.

"Don't put her down. She's mine."

"Sorry Mom." She handed the baby off. "So how was your flight?"

"Long. Now that I see this precious little darling though, it was all worth it."

Cameron was already leery about showing Emily off. She wasn't a people person. "Careful mom, she's trouble."

"How can such a little precious thing be trouble?"

"She's fussy all the time and only happy after feeding, which is never often enough for her."

Cameron's mother laughed. "You were an uptight baby. Look how you turned out." She held the little child in her arms, making funny faces and swaying her back and forth. Emily got into every moment, even showing a little excitement.

Cameron was surprised. "She likes you. She doesn't like anybody."

"Why wouldn't she like me? I'm grandma."

Cameron walked over to Chase and fell into his arms. "Thanks for getting her. I'm still barely awake."

"Get some sleep. There's enough milk for me to feed Ethan when it's his turn. I can get Emily next time too."

"But my mother just got here."

"I'm here to see babies," her mother said. "I don't want to put up with you when you're tired and cranky. I know what you're like."

"Fine," Cameron replied. "You don't need to twist my arm. Good night."

"Sleep well dear."

Chase gave her a kiss and joined his mother-in-law. She was standing beside Ethan's crib, marveling at his beautiful face and wide open eyes while holding her docile granddaughter. "Oh Robert, he's a doll. What does your family think of them?"

"My parents are dead and I'm an only child. I sent some pictures to my stepmother, but I never heard back."

"I'm sorry to hear that. That explains why you're so far from home." She took some time to throw more goofy faces at Emily.

Chase laughed. "Wow, she really does like you."

"I know how to handle difficult children. I had two of them."

She sank into the rocking chair, never taking her eyes off of the baby in her arms. "Only child huh? So you really don't know what sibling rivalry is like."

"No."

"Allison and her sister fought like cats and dogs. You're in for quite an education once these two get old enough. They're either going to fight each other, or band together and turn against you and Allison. They will constantly keep you on your toes. Enjoy the pet rock phase while you can."

"Pet rock phase?" He replied laughing. "So this is the easy part?"

"Easier. It's never easy."

"So we're learning."

She rocked Emily a few more times. "I was a scared to death parent Robert. I think my girls ended up being uptight because I was. Make sure that Allison lightens up a little."

"When it comes to her behavior, it's out of my hands."

"Both of you just try to enjoy this. It will be over before you know it."

Chase understood what she was saying, and managed to actually steal one of those precious moments by watching his son. He had to wonder if his parents got such delight watching him at that age. If they didn't, they missed out on one of the greatest thrills of life.

"He has your eyes." His mother-in-law told him.

Chase smiled. Indeed he did.

"Pick up that baby of yours and have a seat. I've never set foot out of the US before and Allison mentioned you've traveled the world. I'd like to hear some stories. What's your favorite place?"

Chase picked up Ethan, sat down and grinned. "Right here."

-----------------------------------------------------------

"What are you both doing here?" Pamela asked, surprised to see both Chase and Foreman.

"Aren't we supposed to be here?" Chase responded, confused by her question. "This is a mandatory meeting."

"Only one of you had to come. Jerry was only looking for a representative from each practice."

"Yeah, but this meeting has free donuts," Chase responded, with Foreman fully backing him up with a nod of solidarity. "The bakery kind too, not the crappy supermarket kind."

"Did you find out what this was about?" Foreman asked.

"No, I didn't get to see him this morning," Pamela replied. "Probably because it was called for first thing in the morning and he didn't go into the office."

"Would everyone take their seats?" Jerry commanded up at the podium. Everyone took their places, coffee and donuts in hand.

"I scheduled this meeting first thing Monday morning for a reason. It's impossible to get doctors and administrators in a room together at one time so this way no one gets confused over when we are meeting. I also sweetened the deal with free donuts."

"You see," Pamela whispered to Foreman and Chase. "You were suckered."

"I'm not going to start with any type of warm and fuzzy pep talk. You are all professionals, you have busy schedules, and if you work for me you don't like hearing crap. As you know, the tough part of any merger is to streamline the business. We have the highest quality care in mind, but we haven't been acting like a business that has any type of plan, let alone a better one. That changes now."

"Uh oh," Pamela said. "He wouldn't be acting like this if he were happy."

"The massive reorganization starts now. I'm personally starting the overhaul of hospital operations." He clicked on the first slide. "Advisory boards at each hospital will be formed with their first task to identify and prioritize objectives. All major decisions though go through my office. We promise to make quick and sound decisions, much like you have seen at the hospital level, but they will be ones in line with business objectives."

Chase noticed the unimpressed faces. "It's a good thing they didn't serve fruit. Everyone would be warming up their tosses by now.

"First priority is staffing issues. Turnover is a big problem, especially with nurses. I'm appointing a Chief Nursing Officer at each hospital that will be responsible for all nursing operations and will report directly to me. The Chief Nursing Officer will be on the advisory board. This person is to address all nursing staff needs and morale issues. Ultimately, as with all departments, we need to hire in some areas, cut in others."

"The idea has merit," Foreman said in a low voice, slightly impressed.

"Also, all managed care and third party contracts will be negotiated from now on through my office."

The room erupted in chatter. "I have no problem with that at all," Chase said. "We don't need that burden."

Jerry continued, quieting the crowd down while moving onto the next slide. "There is a too much overlap between Princeton General and Princeton Plainsboro. We will be consolidating various departments and eliminating others. I've identified five core departments that will be the first recipients of our capital improvements and expansion efforts. These are our money makers, which will provide us the opportunity to float our community programs and indigent care." He clicked on another slide.

"Princeton General will be the new site of our Heart Hospital, continuing their long tradition of exception cardiac care. A brand new state of the art Orthopedics lab and rehabilitation facility will be located there as well. A new cancer wing will be located at Princeton Plainsboro and will be a prominent training ground for the medical school. The primary Radiology department will be located there as well given their already upgraded facilities."

"Cancer hospital?" Chase asked. "That will keep Dr. Wilson busy."

"The fifth area will also be shepherded at Princeton Plainsboro, but with this one we have the opportunity to expand our reach nationally. We will create a one of a kind program that bridges both a growing need in academics as well as patient care."

Many were shocked by the next slide that came up. It read, _Diagnostics_.

Pamela, Chase and Foreman's jaws all dropped simultaneously, stunned to complete disbelief.

"He didn't mention this to you?" Foreman asked.

"Uh, no." Pamela responded, surprised that he would think that she would keep him in the dark about something like this.

"We are going to drastically expand diagnostics with a brand new

research lab and dedicated testing facilities. Our college of medicine will be offering a new medical specialty for internal medicine students in the field of diagnostics. The program is now open to med students and interns alike, as well as our current fellowship grants."

"Where's House?" Chase asked, noticing the absence of his former boss. "He should be here to hear this. This is going to affect him more than anyone."

"He mustn't have read the email otherwise he would have been here for the free food." Foreman replied.

"Allison's not working for him anymore to point such things out." Chase said.

"There is one primary area of concern that will be addressed immediately. I'm most concerned right now with our practioners and physician network. Our little family is a mess right now. The transition is not going well and communication is breaking down at a rapid rate. Guidelines and expectations are not being met and we seem to be not following any type of order. We have too much overlap in some specialties, and we are sorely lacking in others. We need a network that will give the community a complete spectrum of care or we fail."

The room was getting hostile again. "They will probably start throwing donuts now." Pamela said. "He's going to be very unpopular with those people when he's done."

"I'm sure most of you know Pamela by now." Pamela turned to the crowd and sheepishly waved as all eyes were on her.

"She will be overseeing the overhaul of our physician network. She will identify issues with each practice, both hospital and private, find shortcomings in the system and will address them with my full backing. She will also make recommendations for spinning off hospital practices into private. Any private practice in our network not serving our best interest will be cut loose."

Pamela put on her best professional face to show solidarity, but in her mind she was beating Jerry with a stick right now. When the hell was he planning on telling her this?

"You didn't know this was happening?" Foreman asked shocked.

"Not a freaking clue," she said with clenched teeth, still holding a smile.

The room broke out into uproarious voices, no one taking this news with quiet exuberance.

"Enough!" Jerry commanded to the unruly crowd. "You'll all get to socialize later. I'm moving on to the financial part of the presentation now. Anyone care to know how we plan to pay for all of this?"

---------------------------------

Jerry Anderson entered his office, sat down, pulled off his watch and hit the timer. He had a bet going with himself that the first intrusion would happen in thirty seconds.

"What the hell Jerry?"

Damn, eighteen seconds. He underestimated Pamela's agility. "You have an assignment."

"I know I have an assignment, as does the entire staff now. Couldn't there have been a little warning on your part?"

"That was what the meeting was for."

"I'm your second in command. You don't wait until meetings with the entire staff to let me know what is going on."

"You knew we were reorganizing."

"We've been reorganizing from the day this merger was announced."

"You've been on the meetings."

Pamela threw her arms up in the air in frustration. "Exploratory committees, brainstorming, 'what the hell do we do now' type questions. I don't remember any action being taken."

"Yeah, I know, that's why I did something."

Pamela sat down across from him, crossed her legs and took a calmer approach. The disconnect between them gave her reason for alarm, but she was going to ask professionally. "Are you not happy with my performance?"

"I think you are learning quickly and doing a fine job for someone with your experience level."

"But,"

"The honeymoon is over. You now have to start acting like my right hand man. Woman, whatever."

Pamela took in a deep breath to stop herself from acting on her instinct to reach across the desk and start choking him. "I'm up for the challenge, but is it too much to ask for a little forewarning? This isn't the wild west where you pull your gun and start shooting."

"You'll find I do what I want when I want. Prove yourself here, and you've earned your invitation to your inner circle."

Pamela nodded. "Fine, I'll play along since you make the rules. I'll start auditing and interviewing physicians. You'll have my recommendations."

"Good." Jerry started working on the computer, giving her the cue that their conversation is done.

"Can I ask one more thing?"

"Diagnostics."

"Yes, did you tell anyone like Dr. House or Dr. Cuddy this was happening?"

"No. I mentioned it in passing to the Director of the medical school. The bulk of the work is going to fall on her."

"But eventually it will trickle down to them."

"Yep."

"What about Eric and Robert?"

"That's up to you. They're your problem now."

Pamela smiled, finally getting what he was doing. "No problem Jerry. I'll pass your sink or swim test. When I start doing laps in the pool at Olympic record speed though, I want full disclosure."

"You know I'm not good at sharing."

"You'll get over it." Pamela folded her arms, showing him her defiance.

"Okay, full disclosure. Now will you leave?"

Pamela scoffed at him with head up and walked away. On the way out, she passed Cuddy who was going in. "What the hell Jerry?"

--------------------------------------

Cameron wasn't expecting visitors, and didn't exactly look her best. Hell, everyday since she went on maternity leave wasn't her best. She was stunned by who was on the other side of the door. "Come to visit the babies House?"

"Why thank you, I'd love to come in." He stepped inside and noticed the general disorder. "So your luxurious dining room has been converted to a nursery. How quaint."

"If you look around, every room is a nursery. Somehow I don't think you came here to mock my décor and lifestyle change."

"Why aren't you back from maternity leave yet?"

"Let's see, it's only been four weeks and I'm not coming back."

"Sure you are."

Cameron grabbed her head. Her foggy brain wasn't in the mood for such games. "I'm still a little slow due to fatigue. Are you actually trying to say something?"

"I need you back."

Cameron couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Back? I can barely think straight over which child to feed when. I'm not exactly sure I remember anything about medicine right now."

"Sure you do. Medicine is like riding a bicycle."

"A bicycle? I could kill people with medicine. Besides, I have no one to care for my kids."

"There are two spots waiting for you at the hospital daycare."

Cameron paused to take an exasperated breath. She was not expecting this. "How did you manage that? There's a two year waiting list."

"I have the power of persuasion."

She didn't buy it and gave him a suspicious stare. "You blackmailed the director."

"You aren't the only one doing it in hospital supply closets you know."

"I...I can't, do it House. I was going to be a stay at home mom."

"You know you aren't cut out for that. You're career minded. I just spent a good part of my morning in Cuddy's office. This program of ours is now going to be open to med students and interns. I can't deal with their crap. I need you to keep the riff-raff out of my way."

"Oh yeah? How desperate are you?" Cameron enjoyed her newly found bargaining power.

"I'm willing to do anything. I'll even take you on another date."

"I don't think my husband would like that."

"He won't mind. He'll do anything for his former mentor."

"Can I bring my screaming twins along? Pick a place that doesn't frown on me nursing in public. Also be prepared to be called 'Grandpa'."

House shuddered at the idea. "Fine, no dinner."

"I…I would need schedule flexibility." She was determined to talk him out of this.

"Done."

"I want to work no more than 30 hours a week."

"Done."

"I want a job description with outlined duties."

House opened his mouth, but Cameron knew what he was going to say. "Personal slave does not cut it."

House snapped his fingers.

"This is crazy House. You just can't walk in here and expect me to change my life plans on a whim. I need to discuss this with Robert."

"Chase is the one that sent me here. I forgot where you lived."

"You didn't tell him why you were coming though."

"He, Foreman, and that evil wife of his were sitting around trying to figure out what was going on with the practice. Chase probably figured I was paying a social visit."

"He would never think that! He knows you too well. You probably gave him some stupid excuse about updating your rolodex."

House tried to look innocent, but he couldn't do it. "He fell for it, now didn't he?"

"If he was worrying about hospital reorganization, he was probably distracted."

House was ready to move on. "It doesn't matter. So you can start tomorrow?"

"If I start, and that's if, it can't be for another four weeks. Doctor's orders."

"I can fix that."

"No. I'd like my full leave."

"Maternity leave only lasts six weeks."

"I'm taking eight."

House rolled his eyes. He knew she'd be difficult. "Fine, be that way. So you're taking the job?"

Cameron frowned, but showed some sign of open mindedness. "I'll think about it."

"I'm not taking no for an answer."

The sound of a baby crying interrupted them. "Okay, be that way. We can sit down and talk about it some more. You can watch Emily devour my boob all while you hold Ethan. We can have a moment."

House gave her a blank stare, then took his cue. "Take time to think about it and get back to me." He quickly exited out the front door.

Cameron held back her laughter until he was gone. Actually, she didn't need to think about it. The sound of the screaming baby was all she needed to make her decision. She desperately needed to get back into the real world.

-------------------------------------

Cameron's mother sat in the living room, marveling over the cozy home that surrounded her. She still had trouble believing that Allison ended up with this life. Given all the trouble she was as a teenager and all the heartache over her first husband, it was thrilling to finally see her land on her feet. She was actually envious. Every bad mistake she made in her life always came back to haunt her. She was pleased to see that both her daughters avoided that trap. It was all mother could hope for.

Her deep thought process was interrupted by the noise of shuffling feet. "You look tired," she said to a weary Cameron.

"Mom, all is forgiven. After spending several weeks with my own children, I've figured out you were an absolute saint."

She laughed. "Oh sure, now you finally realize it."

"I knew you would make me eat it." Cameron flopped onto the couch with exhaustion. "I'm sorry I'm not very good company right now."

"You're fine. It seems you have a lot on your mind. I heard you with Dr. House earlier."

Cameron looked at her with shame. "Yeah, I wasn't sure if I would mention that. I need to talk to Robert."

"You don't really want to go back to work, do you?"

"I wouldn't trade this time I've had with my babies for anything, but I'm not the stay at home mom type."

"You don't have to work. You have a husband that can provide for you. You'll get used to being just a mom."

"These kids having been sucking the life out of me for over nine months now. I've hit a wall and need to go back to what I was."

Her mother touched her hand in assurance. "It gets easier. You're a mother now. Your life will never be what it was."

"I know, but I can't deny that I'm a skilled doctor too. Sitting at home reading files and being away from the hands on medicine is not who I am. What's wrong if I want to be both a doctor and a mom?"

Her mother shook her head, wondering how she could get her point across. She knew Allison never listened to reason. "Allison, I worked because I had to. I was a single parent and it was grueling. You don't have to put yourself through that."

"But I want to."

Their conversation was interrupted by the familiar wails of the eldest child. Cameron looked at her apologetically. "Right on schedule. I'll be right back."

Her mother tried to figure out how to convince Allison she was making a mistake. She couldn't come up with anything. She sighed, knowing that trying to persuade her was useless. A few minutes later Cameron was back with Emily in her arms, ready to deliver a fresh supply of milk. She would let the subject go.

"How did you manage to do this alone, mom?"

"I didn't at first. Believe it or not, your father was very supportive and helpful when both you and your sister were born. I'm not sure what I would have done without him."

"What happened then?"

She sighed, not sure that any easy explanation could be offered. "We fell apart. Life stopped being fun for us, and he always had a bad temper. I thought it was okay for a long time that he only took it out on me. When he stopped caring about you two and life in general, it was time to leave."

"But why did he get that way?"

"I don't know why. I spent a lot of lonely nights asking that question, and never did get my answer. Once upon a time he did love you though, you have to remember that."

Her assurance was hardly comforting. Parents never should stop loving their children, no matter how bad things are. It would never make sense to her.

Her mother paused for a second, and then decided to tell her. "Allison, I don't know if it makes a difference telling you this now, but your father is dead."

Cameron's face grew pale with shock. "When?"

"Last year. Your grandmother sent me a letter recently, letting me know and apologizing for bringing such a son-of-a-bitch into this world."

"How did it happen?"

"Motorcycle accident."

Cameron took a few seconds to absorb the news, then resumed a tough stance. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel, but she wasn't about to shed a tear. "I guess that's that then."

"Yeah, that's what I said too."

She now understood for the first time how Robert felt the day he found out his dad died. He was a bastard, but he was still her dad. "I'll have to send her pictures of her great-grandchildren. Hopefully she'll enjoy seeing them."

"I'll get you the address." Her mother got up. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to fix dinner now."

"Thanks mom," she said with a heartfelt gaze, extending her gratitude farther than the gesture for dinner. She was glad she knew.

Her mother nodded and headed for the kitchen. It took another minute, but Cameron realized her mother was right. It didn't make much of a difference.


	28. Uncomfortable Moments

**a/n: This is the big setup for the next two chapters, which will have the rest of the drama and action for the story. I see only three chapters max after this one. Thanks to everyone that has followed this here and on livejournal given the recent site difficulties. It means alot that you want to know what happens next. **

**---------------------------------------**

Chase wondered what was going on as soon as dinner was finished. His mother-in-law gave Cameron a weird glance, what seemed like she was wishing her luck, before going upstairs. He started to clean up the dishes, but Cameron grabbed his wrist. "We can get those later. Come sit down with me."

Chase followed her lead skeptically into the family room, where he took Cameron's side on the couch. "You have something you want to talk about."

"Robert, House came to see me today."

"He's not the type to pay a social visit."

"It wasn't."

His startled expression told her he figured out exactly what this was about. "He offered you a job, didn't he?"

"He needs me," she replied nervously.

"No, he needs someone to run interference so he doesn't have to play the latest game of hospital politics. You don't need that headache. Let him fight his own battles."

"He's willing to meet my demands. Flexible and reduced schedule. He even somehow got the twins two spots in the hospital child care center."

Chase shook his head. "That wasn't so tough. Everyone knows about the director's lunchtime trysts in the janitor closet with Dr. Cardon."

Cameron frowned in disappointment. "Everyone but me. You see? I'm on maternity leave for four weeks and I miss out on everything. I want to be part of the action again."

Chase grasped her hand and took a calming breath, using the pause to carefully plan what to say. "I know the last several weeks have been a huge adjustment. You've been doing great with our kids though. Are you sure you want to try and juggle so much?"

"Robert, do you remember when we first found out I was pregnant? You were worried that giving up my career would turn me bitter and depressed like your mother."

"That's why I gave you the chance to consult with Foreman and me. I don't want you to be an overcommitted stressed out mess either."

"I'm a hands on doctor. Reviewing files from home will get old fast. Besides, I wouldn't be a burden on your payroll."

Chase leaned back, feeling the light sting of her hitting a touchy subject. "Trust me, you won't. After we went through the expansion plans for diagnostics, Foreman, Pamela, and I figured out we will be busier than ever. We're eventually going to need to add doctors. We're planning for an onslaught."

Cameron adjusted her position so his eyes met hers. "The same will happen to House. He has no one working for him and will do horrible things to the med students and interns. I need to work for him for the sake of humanity."

Chase cracked a smile. "Well, if you put it that way, you would be doing a huge public service."

Cameron grinned back. "I'd be branded a hero."

They both chuckled over the thought of sparing humanity. When they settled down, he looked at her earnestly. "Are you sure this is what you want?" He looked for any sign of apprehension.

"Very sure."

He nodded, accepting the confidence of her answer. "Okay then. Work out with him when you want to come back."

"It won't be for another four weeks. I'm not ready to give these babies over to someone else yet."

"When the time comes, you won't be ready either. I'm not worried about the kids, they'll manage fine, but I plan to be there to help you through your separation anxiety."

"I'll be fine."

"Right. Sounds like we have a wager."

----------------------

"Dr. Brennan, I know there are challenges, but somehow other general practioners are overcoming them. Your practice is falling behind."

The irate doctor did not come there to hear this. "That's because the other doctors don't give a damn about their patients. They don't want to take the time to thoroughly examine them and get all issues out in the open. Not to mention I've known these patients for a good number of years. They like telling me about their grandchildren and I like listening."

Pamela reached in her desk drawer for her bottle of aspirin. He was only the tenth doctor today to read her the riot act. Now she was no longer offended by House dry popping vicodin in front of everyone. She felt his pain.

"I don't doubt your skill as a physician. You are well respected by everyone and I'm sure your patients are very loyal. The problem is that THC has billing minimums, operating procedures, training requirements on new medical equipment and research, and you aren't meeting any of those. Your JCOAH guidelines aren't being met either, which isn't just a Trinity concern, but Medicaid's as well. We aren't trying to shut down your practice. We just question your fit in our network."

"I've been affiliated with Princeton General for twenty-eight years. Take away that relationship now, and you might as well take my license. It will kill my practice since the referrals and incentives are the only things keeping me afloat. "

"I'm sorry, but the world is changing. Medicine is evolving at a rapid rate and you aren't keeping up. Most practioners are able to find a way to manage in today's changing environment."

His face grew redder and he raised his already loud voice even higher. "I don't see how. Are you sure they are acting with complete honesty? They are cramming in appointments every fifteen minutes. They won't take the doorknob questions and are running unnecessary tests. That's not enough to thoroughly examine a patient. My malpractice insurance has tripled even though I haven't had a lawsuit or complaint filed against me. My costs for equipment are skyrocketing, but my insurance reimbursements are staying the same or even going lower with each new contract negotiation. Medicare doesn't even cover basic expenses, which accounts for thirty five percent of my billing. I'm barely getting by."

"My office is willing to offer suggestions to you help your practice meet our requirements, but I have to put your practice on notice. You have three months, otherwise we cut you loose."

Dr. Brennan got up fuming. "So much for wanting to keep experienced doctors. Its businesses like THC that will be the end of sound medicine." He stormed out.

"Thank you, come again," she said sarcastically after he left. Pamela's guilty feeling was huge. Everything he said made perfect sense, but perfect common sense often didn't mean business sense. That didn't change the feeling that she was evil. She got up and grabbed her purse.

"Aren't you going to wait for your next appointment?" Her assistant asked when Pamela walked by her desk.

"He won't show up. Dr. House is someone I have to track down personally. Lucky for me, I know the places where to find him."

-------------------------------

"I can take you to the airport mom. You really don't need to call a cab." Cameron and her mother waited in the living room, watching for the cab through the large window.

"Nonsense. There is no way you are hauling those babies to the airport. Newark Liberty is too crazy for that. I'll be just fine."

Cameron knew she was right, but she felt bad anyway. "So you think you'll make it back sometime?"

"Haven't I driven you crazy enough?"

Cameron wasn't surprised by her negativity. "No, not at all. I actually loved having you here. Not just me. Robert likes you, and the kids adore you."

"So I take it that you and me are now okay."

"Whatever rift we had before, I've forgotten it."

Her mother smiled. "You sure? You've always been good at carrying grudges."

"Me?" Cameron said angrily. "You're the one that kept saying I told you so after my first husband died."

Her mother took her hand and laughed, trying to smooth things over. "Okay dear, all is forgiven. I'd love to come back."

Cameron didn't get a chance to say anything else for the cab pulled into the driveway. "He's here. Come on, I'll help you with your bags."

Together they hauled the luggage out into the driveway. As the cabbie loaded the luggage into his trunk, Cameron's mother turned toward her for goodbyes. "Don't work yourself too hard Allison."

"I love you mom," she said pulling her in for a tight hug and letting a few tears roll.

"I love you Allison." Her eyes weren't dry either.

-------------------------

Pamela slinked into the small conference room, wordlessly dropping into Foreman's desk chair. Chase and Foreman, who were at the white board, watched her with both fascination and bewilderment.

"Rough day dear?" Foreman asked.

"You guys are so damn lucky, you know that? Your practice easily passes the requirements and you won't have to listen to me bitch at you personally. You only have to listen to me bitch about everyone else. Now get me a gun so I can blow my brains out."

Foreman walked behind her and began rubbing her shoulders. "I thought you had appointments all afternoon."

"My next one is House. I was here looking for him and thought I would stop by and hide as well. Two of us can play that game."

He rubbed harder causing her to close her eyes and melt in the chair. "It looks like I had the right idea. Damn are you good."

"You shouldn't stress yourself out over this," Foreman said, trying to calm her, but he cringed as soon as he said that those words, knowing he just said the wrong thing.

She rose up in her chair and turned around ready to give him the what for. "I shouldn't stress out? If I screw this up, I'm done in my job. If I succeed, half of the New Jersey medical community is going to be pissed at me. I'm screwed."

Foreman was that less than sympathetic over how other doctors behaved. "Screw the medical community. Doctors will get over it. Since everyone is so desperate for doctors that they're scraping bottom-of-the-barrel countries like India and Australia for help, they'll take your leftovers."

"Hey!" Chase exclaimed, surprised that Foreman thought he wouldn't notice. "Aussie medicine is more advanced than yours."

"You're American now. You've abdicated your argument over whose medicine is superior, which your home country's is not."

Pamela interrupted their squabbling. "Both countries suck, so there! It's a wonder a patient gets treated at all. We spend so much time trying to setup a system to deliver quality care, that we absent mindedly skip the actual care part."

Chase looked at her stunned by that statement. "Wow, that was...deep."

Pamela got up realizing social time was over. "I better get back to work. You think they'll come up with a cool nickname for me like The Hacker?"

Foreman had something better. "How about I start a rumor people are calling you Foxy Brown?"

Pamela was tickled over the idea. "Do I get to put on an afro and start taking people out with barstools?"

While they were laughing at their private joke, they saw Chase, who had a horrified look. "You have no idea what we are talking about. Not from a backward nation my ass." Foreman harped.

"I understand the reference," Chase said with arms folded and a still uncomfortable look. "I just don't see the humor since I can't get past the part with the testicles in the pickle jar."

Pamela and Foreman busted out into deeper laughter. "That might be the best way to deal with House. That could be my mantra. 'I want you to suffah!'" Pamela joked.

Chase couldn't take anymore. "Now that I've got that disturbing image in my head, I need some coffee. Enjoy your poking fun at male mutilation."

Pamela and Foreman were on the floor by now, rolling around with tears in their eyes.

--------------------------

"Mrs. Foreman I presume. How did you figure out my hiding place? Oh yes, the dark one."

"Actually, Robert called me when he spotted you on break, which was thoughtful of him since we threatened his manhood."

House shook off any witty remark that came to him. He honestly didn't want to go there.

Pamela continued with her point. "You're a cripple right? How far can you really go? There are only so many coma rooms in this hospital. Most families are wise enough to pull the plug."

"Shh. They can hear you, you know." House said mocking concern.

"They can listen in on our meeting than. I've come to talk to you about the new guidelines you have to meet."

"You've come to the wrong person. Talk to my assistant."

"You don't have an assistant."

"Sure I do. I hired her last week. Didn't your office get the memo?"

"Considering you only use the Internet and email for porn sites, I don't think we were notified. Wait, are you talking about Allison?"

"That's Dr. Cameron, Dr. Chase, whatever she wants to be called these days. I just call her mama."

"So you're assigning her duties that she never agreed to before she started."

"Noooo. Okay, yes."

"She won't be back from maternity leave for a few more weeks."

"Your crackdown will have to wait then."

Pamela dug deep and began to line up set of threats. "How about I just tell Jerry you should either move to the college of medicine or be spun off into private practice?"

House laughed. "You of all people know I don't respond to threats. Go take your complaint to my boss."

"That will be me. Or it will be once Lisa goes on maternity leave. I am allowed to fire people when she's gone."

"Ooh, I'm scared."

Pamela folded her arms and a tough scowl fell on her face. She was going to have to go straight for the hard stuff. "You ever see Foxy Brown?"

House winced. "Pickle jar?"

She nodded.

"So what were those guidelines again?"

-------------------------------------------

Cameron was doing her best not to be weepy, but the distress on her face was obvious. She wasn't sure what upset her more, leaving the babies behind or losing the bet with Robert. "Why did I decide to do this? I shouldn't leave them."

"You did this because you were ready to kill them. They needed a break from mom and fast." Chase was still feeling very proud of the fact that he was right.

"They both looked so confused in those nursery cribs. They need me."

"They weren't confused. Ethan was rather thrilled with all the new eye candy. Emily was mad, not confused. Think of it this way. We have something very precious to look forward to at the end of the day."

"You're right. I'll shake off the guilt eventually."

"No, you won't. It will get easier, but the guilt will always linger." Chase said gloating.

"Can you shut up now Mr. Know-It-All?" They arrived at diagnostics, and Cameron took her familiar place at the table. It felt like home.

"You see, you're already more content." Chase leaned over and gave her a kiss. "Take it easy today."

"It's about time you got here!" The familiar cranky voice said from the adjacent office.

"I'm out of here." Chase quickly left.

House limped in with a moveable cart stacked high with files. He plunked each huge pile right in front of Cameron one by one, four in all, startling her with each drop. "These need to be done in an hour." He went back into his office, leaned back, put his feet up and closed his eyes.

After she got over the initial shock, Cameron smiled. It was good to be back.

---------------------------

Life was pretty damn miserable for Lisa Cuddy these days. At least the sleepless nights were. One week past her due date and the inability to get comfortable in her bed was just too much. She rolled over for the umpteenth time, facing James' bare back. She knew he couldn't be sleeping well, but he insisted on being with her instead of the guest room. He wanted to be right there if anything happened with the baby.

This had been easily the worst part of the pregnancy thus far. Given the amount of times she heard how high risk her pregnancy was because of her maternal age, everything had gone smoothly. So smoothly in fact, now the kid was too comfy inside. She was ready to have the big moment she waited for her entire life, but unfortunately this baby had other ideas. Stubborn and irritating. That's House's kid alright.

She rolled over again and sighed. Sleep was not going to happen. She was going to work tomorrow, despite her doctor's warning that she should be staying home. As long as she limited her duties to paperwork, the work was a welcome distraction from all the waiting. She needed to finish a few things up anyway before the regional office took over her duties during her maternity leave.

"Need me to do anything?" Wilson asked sluggishly.

"You wouldn't have any tricks to get this kid to pop, would you?"

"Sorry, not my area of expertise. I heard sex might work."

She smiled. "Thanks, but that's an old wives tale and I'm too miserable right now. I need to get used to not sleeping anyway."

He reached his arm out and began to rub her lower back. "Not much longer."

"Actually, there's another reason I can't sleep. I wasn't going to say anything until I was sure, but I think I've had a couple of contractions."

Wilson sat up. "You think you have?"

"They have been too mild to say for sure, but they don't feel like Braxton-Hicks."

Wilson shrugged. "I guess we'll know if they become harder and more frequent. You should try and sleep."

"Impossible. I can't sleep now. Not that I could before."

He sighed and turned on the lamp beside him. "I'll stay up with you then. I only have to be at work in," he checked the clock and rolled his eyes, "five hours."

"I'm going to work with you. This could likely go on all day before anything significant happens. I need a distraction. If something does happen, then I'm already at the hospital."

Wilson wasn't convinced he liked the plan. "Are you sure you wouldn't be more comfortable at home?" I can stay here with you."

"I'm very sure. You can be with me there."

He nodded, grabbed the remote, leaned back on his pillow and wrapped his arm around Cuddy's upper body so her head could rest on his shoulder. "Let's get comfortable. The infomercials are really good at three am."


	29. House's proxy, part 1

**a/n: Another long one, and part one of the Cuddy baby saga. I really really want to thank everyone that has stuck with this story and sent so many wonderful comments. Any story that goes past 100,000 words runs a huge risk of going stale for the writer and the readers, so I'm still grateful many of you are sticking with me. You'll have to honestly let me know what you think of this one. It's a little jarring and dramatic.**

-----------------------------------------

Cuddy's frustration was apparent as she and Wilson headed to work, both in a huge fog after their sleepless night. She was glad he was driving, although these days he wouldn't let her drive unless she had to. Something about one of Chase's stories in which a pregnant woman driving almost gave birth at a gas station. She didn't mind, whatever the strange reason.

There was a nice layer of anxiousness accompanying her fatigue. She would feel a contraction here and there, but nothing significant and none were timed right. She was mad at herself, remembering the warnings she often gave first time mothers. Ignore your contractions until they demand your attention. Often times these mothers-to-be ended up stressing themselves out if they didn't. She knew it was possible for the body to have contractions for hours or days before actual labor ends. There she was though, trying to time each little twinge that hit her. She felt like an idiot.

"Don't worry yourself Lisa," Wilson said, hoping to help her with the internal struggle. "You are right, work is a good distraction."

"You want to know how many times over the years I've told women to ignore light contractions that start in the middle of the night otherwise they will be too excited or nervous to sleep? How lack of sleep at the beginning of real labor can cause problems? I'm too stubborn to take my own damn advice."

Wilson paused, not sure how to answer that. She was exactly right. "Turn off your phone and pager and take a nap in your office today. I'm sure people will understand."

"I can't. I've got work to do. There are a few things I must take care of before I go on leave."

"No, you'll do it. No excuses." Wilson couldn't believe he had to knock such sense into Cuddy. Normally that was a job reserved only for House.

She sighed while sadly looking outside the passenger side window. Normally James wasn't like this with her, but he had to be feeling the stress as well. Hell, she was responsible for his lack of sleep too, which now made her feel guilty. "House hasn't said anything yet."

"He likes putting things off until the last possible minute. He'll probably tell you he wants to be involved while you're pushing the baby out."

Cuddy laughed, knowing he was right. "I don't know. The longer this goes on, the chances a c-section will happen. I've been told from the very beginning a woman my age is likely to have one anyway."

"Does that bother you?"

"Sort of. I know I'll get a healthy baby out of it either way, but there's something about pushing the baby out that seems more natural. It's what every mother hopes for."

She stopped talking when a slow pain hit her, causing her to hold her breath for ten seconds before it subsided.

"That one seemed to be a little more painful," Wilson said, shifting his look to concern.

"Yes, it was. Still, they aren't progressing."

"As soon as we get in you should have a quick OB exam. Just to see if anything has changed with the cervix."

"I'm overreacting."

"Just because you're a doctor doesn't mean that you aren't entitled to a routine exam. One of the OB nurses can do it. They'll want to help out the Dean of Medicine because they like sucking up."

She wanted to argue further, but knew that it would be easier if she gave up. It couldn't hurt. "Fine."

Wilson smiled. "It has to happen sometime soon. There's no need to rush it."

"I dare you men to try this sometime."

Wilson tried to avoid laughter so to not set her off. "That was another thing Chase warned me about. I forgive your irrationality. At least you can't curse at me for doing this to you."

"You're House's proxy. Consider this your warning, you're getting an earful, your fault or not."

Wilson gave her a cheeky smile. "Yes dear."

-------------------------------

"She started having contractions?" Cameron asked while she put down Ethan at the daycare nursery. She was surprised to see Wilson hanging around outside the center as she was dropping the twins off.

"They're light, probably pre-labor."

"41 weeks." Cameron shuddered. "I couldn't handle thirty-five. Probably because I had two of them. So why are you here at the center?"

"I'm really not sure. This baby thing has be wondering what it's like. I came to watch kids play."

"You work with kids all the time."

"Cancer kids. They don't exactly behave the same." Wilson looked down at Emily and Ethan, both who were staring at him with deep curiosity. He liked that. "Yours are getting pretty big."

"All the freaking breast milk they want. It's nice they are here at the hospital with me. I can come down twice a day and feed them. I don't have to pump."

"Great info to share with a clueless man." Wilson joked.

With the twins all settled, Cameron grabbed her bag and she and Wilson headed out to the main part of hospital. "Do you mind if I ask what your role will be with this baby? Surrogate father?"

"For now. It all depends how serious we get and if House chooses to take any kind of role."

Cameron sweetly smiled at his casual approach to all this. "I think what you're doing for Dr. Cuddy is fantastic. I don't know how I could have done this alone."

Wilson humbly smiled.

Cameron's eyes lit up when a great idea crossed her mind. "You'll have to suggest this to Cuddy, but we should do a play date."

"Play date?"

Cameron laughed. "Oh boy, follow me to diagnostics. You've got a few things to learn."

-------------------------------

"How are you doing?" It had been a couple of hours since Wilson had checked in. He had missed Cuddy at lunch, but he figured no news was better than bad.

"I'm still having contractions, but they are mild and not at regular intervals. The OB check showed I'm still at only one centimeter, which was where I was at my last doctor visit. It's pre-labor."

Wilson nodded. "You able to get any work done?"

"I've been trying, but the interruptions have been constant. It's as if everyone all of a sudden realized I might not be here tomorrow. It will likely be several more days." Her voice broke during the last sentence and her eyes glazed over a little.

He walked around the desk and wrapped his arms around her to help calm her distress. "You see, you're doing exactly what you said you shouldn't do. You are stressing yourself into excess worry. You need a break." He grasped her hand and guided her over to the couch.

"You're right," she said fighting back tears. "I just-"

"Shhh," he interrupted. "No talking. Just resting."

He tried to hold her, but only felt her rigid posture and found from her position switching that she couldn't get comfortable. "Do I have to sedate you?"

"No," she scowled. "I'm trying to relax."

Wilson couldn't take her behavior anymore. He stood up, and put his hands on his hips. "That's it. I'm taking you home."

"No, it's best if I stay here. I'll calm down, I promise." Cuddy knew when James got upset, he was really upset.

"This isn't good for you or the baby. You can do breathing exercises and stretching at home, take a long bath and sleep in a comfortable bed. I'll be there to help."

"No bed is comfortable these days," she protested.

"You know what, you're the head of this hospital. I'll take you up to maternity and you can order an inducement right now."

"You know I can't do that."

"You can though, but you know as well as I do medically these things shouldn't be rushed. I'm taking you home. Maternity leave starts today."

She held out her hands flat to calm him. She needed him to be reasonable. "James, is it possible we stay here? I don't feel like straying far and we can be comfortable here."

"This is the worst possible place to be right now. You need to avoid a high stress environment. I'll carry you kicking and screaming if I have to."

Cuddy dropped her lower lip in a minor pout. He would do it with hesitation. "Fine, give me one hour for final instructions."

"One hour. I'm not afraid of making a scene." His expression didn't let up from his stern warning.

She nodded and waddled her large body over to the desk. He noticed her discomfort, but she wasn't heavy pain. He left the office, watching carefully to make sure she was okay until she was out of sight.

"Yes Dr. Cuddy?" The voice on the other end of the speakerphone asked.

"Get me Pamela Foreman."

----------------------

Pamela entered the office Foreman and Chase shared. They were both at their desks, so she took her spot at the conference table.

"There are far better places to hide," Foreman told her. "What's the problem now?"

"Cuddy went on maternity leave effective immediately. I'm now officially the temporary head honcho."

"Congratulations?" Chase said with uncertainty.

"No, it means with her new job plus her project for Jerry, I won't be seeing my wife for the next few months." Foreman protested.

"Is Cuddy in labor?" Chase asked.

"She mentioned pre-labor. She seemed more frustrated and stressed out than anything. Besides, she should have been gone a week or two ago. I'm thankful for the delay. I was able to get some things done."

Pamela's pager went off. She rolled her eyes when she noticed it was House. She was warned long ago he would start harassment immediately. "$50 if either of you answer this."

Chase and Foreman looked at each other and shrugged. "I take that action." Chase said. "So House ends up yelling at me. What's new? That's easy money."

------------------------

Wilson felt her thrashing again. It took him all afternoon to calm her down and finally get some rest. It looked like it was short-lived. "Lisa, you need to settle down."

She tensed up, held her breath, and bit her lip for twenty seconds. "The contractions getting stronger. This is for real."

"How do you know?"

"A searing pain from my back to my front. They are ten to fifteen minutes apart. Can you check my cervix?"

Wilson didn't have to pull back any covers on the bed since she was lying on top of them. She was sweating, but slightly shivering too. He did a check. "It still looks like one centimeter, possibly two."

"Any unusual discharge?"

"No."

She cursed and took even breaths to calm herself. "It's still going to be a while. You should go sleep in the guest room. I need my coach wide awake later if this turns out to be the real thing."

Wilson was appalled she'd even suggest such a thing. "I can't leave you. What if you need me?"

"Then I'll come wake you up. If you stay here I'll only keep you awake."

"I'm not leaving you. If I get too tired, I know where House's stash of amphetamines is."

Cuddy got really irritated. "You're not helping me while on speed. No go. This time I'm putting my foot down."

He saw logic in her argument, and unlike her, he had no problem sleeping. "Okay. I'm doing this only for you. Wake me for anything. Nothing is too stupid."

"I will." She offered a reassuring smile, but it quickly faded when he was out of sight. She felt another jab in her gut. "Stop torturing me you little brat," she said to her stomach before rolling over.

---------------------------

Pamela and Cameron entered the diagnostics conference room, both cackling like a pair of hens. House watched them both with one eyebrow raised, wondering how many martinis went into their lunch. No, it was pretty early in the morning. Breakfast. He smiled, wondering why he didn't have such a liquid breakfast.

"It's rude not to share your funny story with others in the room." He said.

"Why of course House. We'd love to share." Pamela said pleasantly. "We were sharing amusing anecdotes about Robert and Eric in bed. Want us to start at the beginning?"

"I'm not sure. Does it all end with chipmunk faces? If it does, I'm bored."

Cameron and Pamela didn't want to honor that question with an answer, so Cameron chose to get to the point. "We went through the guidelines. I told her no problem."

"No problem? You aren't supposed to give up the farm. Why did I think you could handle this? I knew you wouldn't say no to your best friend."

"We aren't giving up anything," Cameron explained. "We are going to have to sit here for a while and hash some things out."

"Great," House said before heading toward his office. "Let me know what you figure out."

"No," Cameron said, "you need to be a part of this."

House whined. "I'll approve whatever you say."

"Not good enough," Pamela said. "I'm your boss now and I need sign off from the head of each department for these changes. You're staying."

House dropped his head in defeat, dragged himself over to the table and slumped into a chair. "Since you've got me into this mess," he said to Cameron, "the least you can do is get me some coffee."

---------------------------------

Wilson jumped abruptly out of his sleep. The bright sunlight breaking through the windows told him he had slept a while. He rolled over and couldn't believe the time. 8:45 am. He jumped out of bed and threw some clothes on. He had to find Lisa.

She wasn't in the bedroom or the master bathroom. He went downstairs and didn't find her in the kitchen or living room either. Finally, he heard noises coming from the downstairs bathroom. He opened the door to find her hanging all over the toilet.

"Are you vomiting?" He rushed to her side, worried sick.

She choked a few more times before taking in some deep breaths. "Puking my guts out is more like it."

"Your body is responding to the beginning of the labor process." He pressed the palm on his hand on her back, hoping to calm her down a bit.

"This little brat seems to love to torture me like its dad. I'm done for."

Wilson's attempt at comfort and support offered minor success at best. "Why did you let me sleep so long?"

"You needed the rest."

"I needed it? Look at you. Did you sleep at all?"

"A little, until I started feeling nauseous and I'm now cramping. No change elsewhere though. The contractions are still light and ten minutes apart."

"Do you want me to check?"

"No. I'll just be more frustrated."

He had enough of watching her suffer like this. He'd been a doctor long enough to trust his instincts over something not being right. He grabbed her purse. "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"To the hospital. Someone needs to check you out."

"I'm fine."

"I'd rather your OB say that, given he's the specialist and all."

Cuddy's protest continued with her glaring eyes.

"What's the worst that can happen? He sends you home. Maybe they'll decide to induce. A mother your age shouldn't be going through this much physical stress."

Cuddy felt another wave of chills hit her, and the urge to throw up. She gasped for air over the toilet, and then regained control. "Make sure you take some bags for me in the car."

--------------------------------------------------------

"I thought I told you never to call me like this," House said into his phone in a paranoid whisper.

"I don't have time for your jokes now. I need your help." Wilson said on the other end with serious tone.

"I don't know Jimmy. This is so-"

"It's Lisa."

That got House's attention. "Where are you?"

"Her office. She's been going through a very slow onset of labor the last two days. She's nauseous, has sweating and chills and it's progressively getting worse. Her doctor just checked her and found BP and fetal heart rate normal, so he sent her home."

"Dilation and effacement?"

"Two centimeters and ninety percent."

"She's in early labor. These things take time." House needed more to go by than that.

"House, they told her to keep changing positions and drink plenty of fluids. She can't keep fluids down and each change of position causes her to be winded. I can't explain this, but I have this feeling something isn't right."

"You're being a paranoid father to be."

"The father to be is you and damn right I'm being paranoid!" He managed to not raise the volume of his voice despite the increased frustration in his words.

"She's a forty year old woman trying to go through the intense physical stress of delivering a baby. Her body gets tired quicker."

"I want to run some tests and I need help."

"There are no tests for severe obstetric complications other than an ultrasound. I assume blood work was clean?"

"In reasonable parameters for a woman in labor, and the crude office ultrasound looked normal too. I figured I'd do further some tests on the heart and lungs, rule out hypotension and get a more detailed ultrasound."

"I think you're being-"

"Please House. I usually trust your instincts, I need you to trust mine."

House sighed on the other end. Normally he would love to use this opportunity to get out of his meeting, but he didn't want to put it off for such a routine exam. He never wanted to see Pamela in his office again. "Okay, I need to finish up a few things here with Cameron and the Wicked Witch of the West. It will only take about fifteen more minutes. I'll call Chase and Foreman and have them get started. Get her a room and we'll do a full exam."

-----------------------

Wilson helped a weakened Cuddy walk to the empty hospital room that Brenda arranged. He thought the walk might help, it normally did for a woman in labor, but each step was sapping her of energy. Now he wished he had a wheelchair, but they were close. "Just a few more steps Lisa." She didn't respond. She was too tired.

"She's experiencing fatigue?" Chase asked, alarmed by how weak she was, taking the other side to help Wilson.

"This just started on the way up here." Wilson answered.

They helped her into the bed, then Chase hooked up a CTS monitor for fetal heart rate and Foreman wrapped a cuff around her upper arm to check the vitals.

"Any strange symptoms?" Chase asked, not liking the pallor of her skin.

"Nothing unheard of for labor. Nausea, sweating with chills."

"The CBC and urinalysis was okay when she saw the doctor this morning?"

"Yep, everything was in reasonable parameters."

Foreman finished his part of the examination. "BP is a little low. Was it that low before?"

Wilson looked at the number on the monitor and couldn't believe it dropped that badly. "No, an hour ago it was normal, borderline raised."

"Pulse is high too. She's looking mildly hypotensive. What does the fetal monitor say?" Foreman asked Chase.

"So far it looks good. A perfect rhythm."

"Do you mind if I do an OB check, Dr. Cuddy?" Foreman asked.

"Go for it. You're not seeing anything half the nursing staff hasn't seen."

Right when he was about to check, Cuddy got a strong contraction. Foreman and Chase looked at each other with concern, none too pleased how much trouble she was having breathing through it. Foreman did his check, while Chase looked at the read out for the contraction. Nothing unusual.

"No heavy discharge or bleeding." Foreman said, finishing his exam.

Cuddy wanted to respond, but coughed lightly instead. That got Chase's attention. "You having other problems, like maybe a bad taste in your mouth?"

"Yes," Cuddy said, surprised he caught onto that. "What is it? What do you think is happening?"

"Nothing," Chase said with a reassuring smile. "The signs aren't all there." That look instantly changed when he read the fetal monitor. The signs were there now. His face grew panicked and he grabbed the phone at lightening speed. "This is Dr. Chase. We're on our way an emergency c-section right now."

"What did you see?" Foreman asked while unhooking the monitors.

"Fetal heart rate just showed variability." Chase said, unlocking the wheels of the bed on his side. Foreman quickly did the same on his side, and all three men wasted no time in rolling her out of the room.

"Variability?" Cuddy asked weakly but alarmed. "How bad? Is the baby breathing?"

"I can't tell from one reading, but it doesn't seem bad yet." Chase replied as they loaded her into the elevator. "It can get that way fast though, and we don't want to take chances with fetal hypoxia."

"Hypoxia? You think there's internal bleeding? There's no vaginal bleeding." Cuddy could still think clear enough to run all the complications through her head. "The only other possible cause is...oh God."

"Don't think that," Wilson told her reassuringly while holding her hand. "If it was that, I'm sure we caught it in time."

"Amniotic Fluid Embolisms onset within minutes. I don't have much time."

Her breathing became more labored right when the elevator arrived at Labor and Delivery and they rushed down the hall with an entire team to the OR.

"James," she said between heavy breaths, "you have to take care of the baby for me."

"You're going to be fine Lisa. The baby will be out in a couple of minutes and it will all be okay."

He barely finished the sentence before her eyes rolled to the back of her head. Chase pulled out a stethoscope and checked her chest as they moved the bed into proper position in the OR. "She's hypoxic. No breath sounds!"

He jumped into action, working to get her intubated while Foreman administered the IV and got the paddles ready. If this was AFE, cardiac arrest would happen in a minute.

While Chase and Foreman worked on Cuddy, the surgical team had already started the c-section with Wilson watching every move. They were making the incision when the noise of someone barging in got everyone's attention.

"You don't need to be here Dr. House," the surgeon sternly said.

"He's the father," Wilson clarified, glancing over at his distraught best friend.

For such a bombshell, the surgeon showed no reaction. "Okay, stay out of the way."

The surgeon knew how critical time now was. In less than a minute he made the incision, spread apart the newly created opening in the uterus and pulled the baby out. It was slightly blue in color.

"He's not breathing!" a nurse shouted when the doctor handed the child off to her and freed him of the umbilical cord. The neonatal team took over and worked to resuscitate the baby. House and Wilson moved closer to the team and watched their frantic efforts. Aside from not breathing, the infant looked perfect. "He?" House asked, the sex of the baby now sinking in.

"That looks like a boy to me." Wilson said in a nervous voice, beating himself up for not trusting his instincts sooner.

An alarm went off on the other side of the OR. "Cardiac arrest!" Chase shouted.

House and Wilson shifted their attention back to Cuddy, who was now crashing on the OR table. Chase did chest compressions while a nurse followed his order and administered adrenaline. Foreman jumped in with the paddles on cue. After two attempts, the monitor beeped, showing a heart rhythm.

"We have a pulse, but she's tachycardic. I need three mg dopamine." Chase ordered.

House and Wilson's attention shifted again to noises coming from behind them. Cries of a newborn infant. They turned around to see the neonatal team taking a breath of relief. On the table was an upset, but healthy baby boy. His color was now turning slightly red, but that was from the crying.

Wilson let his shoulders drop a bit in relief. "He's okay." House nodded apprehensively, still watching the neonatal team trying to get the infant stable enough for transport to the NICU.

House tuned out everything happening on both tables to stare at the boy, who had already faced his first big obstacle in life and overcame it. The kid was a fighter and that made him proud. He knew the child might face another, as he glanced over to at the team tending to Cuddy. He gently grasped the child's large foot and smiled. _Big feet, just like your dad._

"Dr. House, I need you to move," a nurse told him, ready to transport the baby. He shook himself out of his moment of bonding and stepped out of the way.

"House, I'm going with them to the NICU." Wilson said. "If anything changes with Lisa, call me."

"Just look for us in the ICU."

Wilson gave him a sad smile and then looked at Chase and Foreman, thankful that she was in the best hands possible.

"Go!" House told Wilson as the team left with the baby. "Our son needs you."

Wilson wasted no more time and quickly followed.

House limped back to Cuddy. He stood like a statue, watching every move his former employees made, relieved that they knew exactly what they were doing. He watched Chase and Foreman cannulate the right radial artery and insert a catheter in the jugular. They were trying to get the intra-arterial BP. "You see any coagulopathy?" He asked once they started getting readings.

"20mmHg," Chase replied with some disappointment. "She's headed straight for it. We're getting blood gasses now. If it doesn't improve, I'll do a transfusion of FFP and cryoprecipitate."

House nodded and decided he couldn't do anything more. He turned away and decided to wait outside.


	30. House's proxy, part 2

**a/n: Okay, did anyone else believe that entire "two chapter left" thing? I honestly did, until I started writing and realized how many plot points are still left to tie up. So, it will be at least three more chapters, maybe four (although I say three right now). This is one of them. This one is meant to be less surprising, yet it's dramatic. **

--------------------------------------------

Chase and Foreman made the long slow walk out of the ICU, shoulders low and heads down. They weren't surprised to see Cameron and Pamela somberly waiting with House, each seated in the row of chairs lining the orange wall.

Cameron rushed over and fell into Chase's arms. "How is she?"

"In a coma. We are waiting for all the results to come back, but it's looking like DIC."

Cameron gasped, while House dropped his head in disappointment.

"DIC?" Pamela asked.

"Disseminated Intravascular Coagulopathy," House answered. "It doesn't go over well with Intensive Care Specialists like Chase over there. They see it too much. They have their own acronym for it."

"What is it?"

"Death is coming," Chase answered woefully.

Cameron was all too familiar with the acronym as well. "What's going to happen now?"

"We need to stop the progression, otherwise she'll go into left side cardiac failure, just before the rest of her organs shut down."

"Is that the only problem?"

"There are other complications," Foreman replied. "Once she's stable, we'll need to check for neurological damage because some reflex responses aren't looking good."

"I'm considering starting her on rFVIIa." Chase divulged.

Cameron transformed into differential mode, knowing the controversy of the treatment. "Is it that bad? The use of recombinant activated factor VIIa works best in patients with massive hemorrhage in whom standard measures of stabilization are unsuccessful. It's only in some cases that it reduces DIC."

"It's been known to work better in cases of obstetric hemorrhaging," Chase argued.

"Chase is right," House said, quickly dismissing Cameron's concerns. "Considering the mortality rate for DIC is about 80 percent, I would say he's onto something." He waved his hand at Chase. "Go do it."

Chase and Foreman nodded before moving on in a hurry.

House leaned forward in his chair, resting his forehead on his cane. He waited for what was coming next, certain that sympathetic Cameron going to make her move.

"Is Dr. Wilson in the NICU?" she asked.

"Uh huh."

"I'll go talk to him." Cameron found her forward path restricted by a cane.

"No, I'll handle it. No reason to hide from the boy the fact he has two dads. He should find out young, so he'll adjust to society better."

Cameron gave him a firm stare. "House, try to be a friend? He has to be crushed right now and you're hardly coming in with good news."

"Me? Why I'm his best bud."

"House-"

"Don't worry about us, we'll be fine. Go help the ambiguously gay duo in there. Be useful for a change."

Cameron gave him a scowl and left. She didn't mind the angry outburst directed at her. His misguided anger usually meant he was caring about something.

--------------------------

Sitting on the other side of the glass wall, almost lost in the low lit room, was the only man he ever known to be a true friend. House was never good at reciprocation, and he didn't think Wilson would expect it this time. Still, it hurt him to see the broken look on his friend's face right now, even if he'd never admit it.

The NICU was always a quiet place, despite the presence of busy staff at all times and distraught family members hovering over their struggling children. House worked his way over to Wilson, who was in a plastic chair next to the crib, arms folded and legs stretched out, wearing a sterile hospital gown.

Wilson's eyes drifted to the man towering over him, then wandered back to his feet. He knew that look on House's face. Grim was usually House's attempt at sympathy. He wasn't in the mood for it today.

House gave the child a careful study. He was surprisingly healthy for what he just went through. He was a large baby, but that made sense to him. He was too, and never heard the end of it from his mother. The measurements attached to the side of the crib confirmed how large. 9lbs, 4 oz.

"Clinical evidence of perinatal asphyxia," House commented, repeating the note on the chart.

"Duh," Wilson replied. "He wasn't breathing when he was born."

"It doesn't seem to have been for too long though. He likely avoided neurological damage." House grabbed a chair that was nearby and sank down into it, finding relief for his aching body. He bounced his cane on the floor a few times while he and Wilson avoided eye contact, both aware of the awkward silence.

"So who was the quick thinker that thought it was fetal hypoxia? My money is on Chase." House said, asking and answering his own question.

"Yep," Wilson confirmed. "He connected all the symptoms and the first minor sign of trouble he acted swiftly. He saved this little guy's life."

"Intensivists are well trained to identify early warning signs. He did his job. Now he and Foreman are using their years of training for Cuddy. Don't you want to know how she's doing?"

Wilson sighed. "A nurse checked for me. She said she was in a coma."

"Did she tell you she's gone into DIC?"

Wilson tried to show no reaction, considering he's seen worse case scenario too often. His bravery was short lived though as he buried his face in his hand. He didn't want House to see him fall apart. "No."

"She's not going to die. Chase and Foreman have a few tricks up their sleeves."

"Tricks?" He asked, raising his head back up.

"rFVIIa."

Wilson nodded. "It's been proven to work in some DIC cases. What's the chances of hemostasis?"

"In an AFE diagnosis, twenty percent." He saw his friend's body droop in disappointment. "Why don't you go see her?"

"I can't right now." Wilson said, rubbing the heels of his hand into his temples. "Just before she went down she begged me to take care of the baby."

"I'll get Cameron up here. She's got this baby thing down."

"I'm not ready to say goodbye to her, okay. I don't want to see her and it turn out to be the last time."

"That's a bunch of crap. Every time you see anyone it could be the last time. You're just afraid of her dying in your arms."

"Yes. I'm afraid. I can't see her like this. I don't want the last thing I remember is her hooked up to machines keeping her alive."

"Chicken."

Wilson sat straight up. He wasn't taking House's crap today. "I'm here taking care of your son, a child you won't even acknowledge. Who's the coward here? Hypocrisy is not usually your style."

House quietly backed off. If he learned anything about their friendship, he knew when to cross a line and when not to. "Okay, your choice. I'll be in the ICU if you need me."

Wilson didn't watch him leave. He knew he wasn't going to get a hug and sympathy from House, and if he had that would have freaked him out worse. Still, a small bit of him hoped he would at least acknowledge his son. Wilson got up and hovered over the baby.

"Whatever happens, I'll never leave you, Michael."

---------------------------

Chase poured through the latest test results when House arrived. Judging by how quick he was there, he wasn't much of a help to Wilson. "The treatment is helping. The DIC has not progressed in the last hour."

House grabbed the results from him and checked for himself. "It hasn't reversed either."

"The next four hours are the most critical. We'll have a better idea then. How's the baby?"

"Fine."

Chase nodded. Fine always meant good when House said it.

"Cameron, go up to the NICU and see Wilson. He apparently needs pointers on caring for a baby." House ordered.

"No problem," Cameron replied with a weary smile.

Foreman and Chase looked at each other with concern.

"What?" House asked.

"You sent Cameron to console Wilson," Foreman said. "That means he can't be in a good place right now."

"Your concern isn't with Wilson right now, or the baby. Keep her alive." House shouted, his frustration over the situation apparent.

"We're doing that," Chase answered. He moved in closer to House and spoke lower. "She can hear us. Behave in here or I'll have no problem kicking you out."

"He started it," he said pointing to Foreman.

Chase gave him a non-verbal warning this time, with a stern glare.

"Okay, I'll be good." He took his place at the side of the bed, mocking his former fellows with his expression of compliance. Once Chase and Foreman were satisfied, they went on with their work.

House had a rare loss of words. Cuddy probably didn't need to hear him gripe anyway. Of course there was never a time when she did. "I'm sorry," he said softly, and then settled in to hold his vigil.

---------------------------------

"Dr. Wilson?"

Wilson was embarrassed to be seen right now by someone else at the hospital, especially an impressionable young lady that was only there to do her job. He'd seen her in action before when issues of proxy and guardianship had come up. He slid his hand over the stubble on his face. He normally was so well manicured and clean shaven, but he had let himself go over the last couple of days, ever since Lisa went into labor. His clothes were rumpled, his eyes bloodshot, and his hair tousled. "Yes Becki."

"I'm sorry to disturb you during this difficult time, but are you the baby's father?"

Wilson had to smile at her straight forward approach. Most clerks tried to be more diplomatic than that. Too bad he actually had to give her a response. "No, I'm not."

"Did Dr. Cuddy leave instructions on who would make decisions for her and the baby in case she was incapacitated?"

Incapacitated. What a cold word for being in a coma and medically unable to function, he thought. Why couldn't they have come up with a better word? Vacationing works. "She didn't have anything on file?"

"Yes, for her. She approved heroic measures, so we are leaving those decisions right now up to Drs. Chase and Foreman. I just needed to know if there was someone else they should be talking to."

"No, there isn't."

"The baby is a different matter then. Since no father has been identified and she didn't give you any authority, the child will have to be handed to social services and will likely become a ward of the state."

"Dr. House." Wilson blurted. He knew House would be none too happy, and it was a violation of his agreement with Cuddy, but there was no way he was going to let this child become the state's problem. This time, if House didn't cooperate, he would beat him until he did. It's not like he could run far. "He's the father."

"Can that be proven?"

"Yes."

"Okay. I'll talk with Dr. House then."

Wilson had to admire her calm and professional reaction. He knew she would be off to spread the word among the other staff. It was gossip even he would by dying to share. Becki went to leave the room, but Wilson stopped her. He had an idea.

"Becki, Dr. House wasn't willing to play a part in Michael's life. Can he sign guardianship to me?"

"I'll have to check, but yes, I believe that's possible."

"Offer that as a suggestion to him first. He won't be so hostile and mean to you if you do."

"Thanks Dr. Wilson, but shouldn't I let him know he has other options first?"

Wilson shook his head, wondering how wise it was to send this girl off to peril in the face of a miserable bastard. She was too young, too innocent to be sacrificed. Still, despite his guilt, it was her job. "He already knows that. He has dismissed that as an option. Trust me, save yourself the trouble. Let me know if he doesn't cooperate."

"Thanks, I will."

Wilson smiled at how nice she was. He always liked dealing with nice people around the hospital, or at least ones that went to the trouble to act nice. He looked at his watch. He guessed that within a half hour everyone in the hospital would know whose Michael father was.

---------------------------------------------------------

Foreman saw the young clerk leaving the ICU, frightened beyond belief but she seemed to have gotten what she came for. No doubt it involved House. Only he left that mark of terror in others, especially when something was bothering him.

He slid open the glass door leading to Cuddy's suite. She had been in a coma for over a day now, and despite the lack of progression of DIC, she wasn't out of the woods yet. Each hour she was alive though provided more hope.

Foreman took a seat next to House. He knew the drill. Wait for the joke or insult, and then go on.

"I'd tell you how much like hell you look, but it's not like there's a color change in your face. Have you gone blacker?"

There was the joke. "House, I've-"

"Got the MRI results. I can tell from your look it's either not good or inconclusive."

"It's more inconclusive than anything, but the loss of oxygen has caused some brain injury. We won't know how bad until she wakes up."

"If she wakes up."

Foreman shrugged, not arguing that point.

"What did Chase find out?"

"Nothing's failing. Her organs are slowing regaining normal function, and CBC shows slight improvement."

"Where's Chase anyway?"

"Downstairs with the twins and Cameron. He needed a family break."

"Remind me to get all weepy over that later." House scoffed.

Foreman smiled, noticing the slight holding back in the delivery of that insult. "Come, admit it, you can relate. You probably want to go hug your son right now."

"He's my child in blood only."

Foreman's smiled got wider. "Yeah right." He pointed to Cuddy. "I'm sure she doesn't believe you either."

"Don't you have something to do? Your wife is in the hospital now. She'd be nicer if she got a little midnight at noontime."

"Lunch was three hours ago, but thanks for the suggestion."

House was surprised to hear that. That meant he had been there all day, ever since he arrived at the hospital this morning. Time was usually completely lost in the ICU.

"You should check on Dr. Wilson," Foreman suggested. "He hasn't left the NICU ever since the baby went there."

"He gets one family member, I get the other. Anyway, I'm sure he's enjoying the peace. He's going to need that time to start making choices."

"What are you talking about?"

"I just gave Wilson custody of the child. He's now his problem. I'm sure he's going to be touring daycare centers and interviewing pediatricians soon."

"You gave up your own baby? Especially when he won't be able to know his mother anytime soon, if at all?"

"Look at it this way. It's a good test at learning how to overcome hardship."

Foreman twisted his lips together, holding back his knee-jerk reaction.

"Come on, spit it out." House challenged.

"I was going to tell you that you're an ass, but I realized that wasn't accurate. You're a bitter disappointment." Foreman got up and walked away.

House took the biting comments in stride. He had it coming. Still, he didn't regret his decision. "You of all people know this is for the best," he told Cuddy. "I'll only screw the kid up worse than he already is.

--------------------------------------------------

Chase enjoyed the small smile that slipped onto his face when he saw Wilson sleeping in the chair next to the baby. He hadn't smiled at all for the last 36 hours. He needed to have one, but he probably needed sleep more.

Michael was so content, calmly examining all the room's sterile surroundings with fascination, with wires still hooked to him. The infant's big eyes eventually met Chase's, triggering another big smile from him. It reminded him when Ethan was there over two months ago, although this baby was twice his size.

"Hey there little fella," Chase said. He knew how well babies responded to a human voice. The noise prompted Wilson to wake.

His reaction at seeing Chase was mixed. Chase was always so detached when delivering news, so he couldn't read at first if his visit was good or bad. He was smiling, but the baby could have brought that out.

"Michael is doing really well," Chase told him while reading the chart. "He seems to be passing all the proper milestones. Any stay at this point is just a precaution."

"Yes, it's looking good." Wilson moved his palms across the sides of his face before stretching his arms upward. "You've come to give me an update?"

"Yes. I can give you sometime to pull yourself together."

"Nope, give it to me."

Chase pulled up a chair and sat down next to him. Both men were pretty exhausted, but even Chase knew that Wilson was worse for wear. "The rFVIIa is reversing the DIC. It's going slowly, but she's coming back."

"But?" Wilson knew there was more.

"She's still in a coma, and there are signs of neurological damage. We can't tell how bad until she wakes, but at very least she's in for a lengthy rehabilitation."

"If she wakes."

"Yeah." Chase knew he didn't have to offer sugar coated hope to a fellow doctor that has seen as much death as he has.

"Okay, thanks."

Chase knew from the quick response Wilson wasn't in the mood for socializing, but there was more he needed to say. "Dr. Wilson, I usually don't pry, but this isn't a usual case. You know as well as I do that most coma patients hear voices. I'm willing to bet it would help her if she heard yours."

Wilson shook his head. "She knows why I haven't been there. I'm honoring her request and taking care of the baby."

"None of us have talked to her much about Michael, not even House. We were reserving that for you. It could really give her hope."

"House has been talking to her?"

"Yeah, constantly. I'm sure she wants to wake up so she can put him in his place like she always does."

Both laughed over that visualization. Probably a little more than the quip warranted, but the fatigue contributed to their slap-happiness.

"House didn't mention the baby?" Wilson was surprised.

"No, or at least he isn't telling her he's doing well. He doesn't think it's his responsibility."

Wilson nodded. "It would be great if Michael could be there with me."

"I'll talk to the NICU attending on duty. I'm sure with supervision he'll allow that."

"Thanks."

Chase paused for a few more seconds, making sure Wilson was okay before going on. "That's not all. I'm also here to talk about you. We all are worried about you as well. You need to go home, shower, change clothes, fix yourself up and just rest for a bit. Michael will be fine. Allison said she'll make sure someone will be with him all the time while you're gone. She's offered to take first shift."

"I can't leave him."

"Yes, you can. Don't forget I worked for House for over three years as well as Allison. We aren't beyond drugging you if we have to. That or we can have security toss you out."

Wilson smiled. He knew that wasn't an idle threat. "Fine, I'll go as soon as Cameron gets here."

"Actually, she's waiting outside. Shall I give her the okay to come in?"

Wilson nodded.

Chase got up, stopping to offer another smile to the baby.

"Chase?"

"Yes Dr. Wilson."

"Thank you. Without you, Michael could have had brain damage or died. You saw something none of us did. I'll always be grateful. I'm sure Lisa would be too if," he stopped in time, preventing his emotions from overtaking him.

"I was doing my job, and you're welcome."

"Thanks for being so damn good at your job." A small break in his voice slipped through.

Chase gave him a humble smile. "I'll talk to Dr. Agbar right now." He stole one last gaze at the pleasant child before going on.

Wilson took in a deep calming breath, accepting that a small rest would be good at this point. He was taking his adopted son to meet his mother. He needed to be at his best.


	31. House's proxy, part 3

Wilson had faced lots of tough situations before. The morose feelings that lingered in the air among family and friends of a desperately ill patient was something he always approached with the right amount of sympathy and concern, while still maintaining his professional composure. This time it was all unfamiliar. His normal methods weren't working. With each step closer to the ICU, he felt his world fall further apart.

He turned to check on Michael, who was being pushed in an enclosed crib by Chase and one of the NICU nurses. The baby was content, likely enjoying the comfortable ride. Wilson pictured giving him plenty of stroller rides in the future.

Once they reached the room he took a full second to panic, but that was all he would allow himself. He slid the door open and entered the uncongenial room. He had been in the ICU lots of times, but it never felt as gloomy as it did now. It lacked warm touches, signs of vibrant life, sounds that were soothing to the soul. The beep of the monitors and the swish of the ventilator were the only sounds, signaling a milieu of despair.

As expected, the first sight of Lisa was a shock, despite the fact that he had already mentally pictured what it would be like. What threw him was the pallor of her skin, pale and greyish, and the lack of any sign of what she once was. If he didn't know better, he wouldn't believe it was her. He half expected House to be sitting by her, staring at her with his indignant eyes and unshaven face, but there was no sign of him. No doubt Chase and Foreman ran him off.

He went straight over to Lisa and took her hand. He felt some warmth underneath the clammy texture, but also sensed calm as well. Wherever she was now, it couldn't be all that bad. It was in sharp contrast to the last time, when she was clutching onto him in terror. He knew he needed to say something to her, but he didn't have anything rehearsed. Whatever he would say, it would come out simple and cliché.

"Lisa, I'm here," almost waiting for a response even though he knew full well he wouldn't get it. "I'm sorry I haven't come by sooner. I've been doing what you asked."

Wilson looked at Chase, who nodded to give him okay. The nurse came over with a fresh gown and helped him put it on. Then she took Michael out of his crib and placed him in Wilson's arms.

"Lisa, Michael is doing great. He's here with me now." He turned his head toward the boy. "Michael, this is your mom."

He placed the baby down onto the bed, in the crook of Cuddy's arm, and held him in place. Wilson wanted him to hear that familiar heartbeat, hoping he'd realize that this was the person that brought him into this world. He wrapped Cuddy's arm around Michael, wishing that the lifeless touch would do something for them both. Given the fact that the baby wasn't fussing, what he was doing wasn't hurting.

Chase and the nurse both smiled at the beautiful family reunion. Chase cocked his head toward the door, indicating that they should give them some time alone. They slipped outside unnoticed.

Wilson spent several minutes watching both mother and son together. This moment felt almost right. It would have been perfect if she was awake. He rested his chin on his right hand, which was stretched on the bed, and his left hand held Michael. "I miss you Lisa." His vision became blurred from the tears welling up in his eyes, but he still wouldn't openly cry. He needed to be the strong one.

A towering figure stood on the other side of the glass door, watching the gentle family moment, and intently watching Wilson fall apart.

"What are you doing House?" Chase asked.

"Nothing to see here." He walked away.

-----------------------------------------------

"Dr. Wilson?"

Wilson looked at the clock. He didn't know that almost an hour had passed. That was far more time than they were allowed. Chase would probably get hell for that. "It's time, isn't it?"

"Yes, we need to get Michael back to the NICU. You're welcome to stay here if you want." Chase said.

Wilson shook his head. "No, I need to be with him. She understands." Wilson reached over and with delicate care handed the baby back to the nurse. He stood up, leaned over, and gave Cuddy as soft kiss on the forehead. "Get better."

They quietly shuffled out, Wilson sliding the door behind him, the monitors now being the only sounds echoing in the room. There wasn't a nurse, or a doctor, or even House there to see Cuddy's hand begin to twitch.

--------------------------------------------------

Cameron was waiting at the NICU when Chase and Wilson came back. "How did it go?"

"Good," Wilson replied, returning to his familiar chair as the nurse pushed the crib back.

Cameron pulled Chase outside. "Is he okay?"

"He's heartbroken right now Allison, and carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. For Cuddy's sake though, he held up very well and gave her some time with the baby."

She nodded, needing to know his state of mind before she talked to him.

"Come here." Chase pulled her in tightly for a hug. He took in deep breaths, grasping onto her like every minute depended on it. "You're beautiful, you know that?"

She melted into his arms, offering him the comfort he desired. "Robert, you're exhausted. You should go home now."

"I will soon. Foreman will be back in an hour."

Just then his pager went off. His eyes grew wide as he read the message.

"Is it Cuddy?"

"There's random movement."

Cameron grew somewhat hopeful, knowing that even though twitches were common in coma patients, in this case it might mean something. "Go, check on her."

He gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll let you know as soon as I know something." He ran off.

Cameron smiled before heading back into the NICU. She felt a boost, knowing that any glimmer of hope or optimism would make a huge difference to Wilson right now.

----------------------------------------------------

Wilson didn't leave the NICU for three more days, except for bathroom breaks. The nurses were bringing him meals and he often had people checking on him. Chase and Foreman came in periodically to update him on Cuddy's progress, and Pamela stopped in a couple of times to show support. His most frequent visitor though was Cameron, who would spend sometimes stretches as long as a two hours with him. He hadn't seen House since the day of the delivery.

He couldn't take his eyes off of the innocent being in front of him while thoughts flew through his head like an unstoppable freight train. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel. After several days of heartache, today he felt nothing. He actually took that to be a good sign. Sure, it could just be from excessive fatigue, but it was the first sign to him that maybe things were headed back to normal, as normal as they could be under the circumstances anyway.

Why didn't he feel the betrayed over his best friend not stepping up when his son needed him? Probably because as much as he cared about House, he knew that he would be the better father. It was the right decision. He was finally feeling peace over the situation, which meant he was ready to go on. But there was the other part of him, who just wanted to go to sleep and wake up with everything back to the way it was. He was so lost in thought that never noticed Cameron enter until her hand was on his shoulder.

"Hey there." She took a seat next to him. Judging by the eager look on her face, she had something to share.

"You want me to get out of here for a while," Wilson guessed by her look.

"For good reason. I just finished speaking to Dr. Agbar. Michael can go home the day after tomorrow. We need to get his nursery ready. How far did you and Dr. Cuddy get with it?"

"There's an unassembled crib, a changing table, and not much else."

"Okay, we'll fix that. Robert has put a couple of cribs together, so he can help with yours. I'm taking you to the baby superstore."

Wilson nodded, fully appreciating the gesture. He could use help.

"Also, you need to start getting out into the open. I'm here to take you downstairs. Pamela is having a nursing appreciation luncheon and you are their invited guest."

Wilson smiled, for the first time in days. "It's a front for a baby shower, isn't it?"

"Well duh." She said smiling back.

"You guys going to make me wear the silly hat made from all the bows?"

"Yep, and you can't break ribbons either. The last thing you need is more bad luck. I got you a fresh change of clothes in the locker room. Go take some time to get freshened up first. Michael will be fine."

Wilson got up and took a long overdue stretch. He gazed at the sleeping child, who was probably sick by now of having him around all the time. "I know he will."

He followed Cameron out of the room.

"What's the latest on Lisa?" He asked while they walked down the hall. "I'm sure people will be asking."

"She's opening her eyes periodically, and still making random movements. Foreman is really encouraged by the brain wave activity and hopes it all means she's coming out of the coma. She's breathing on her own, but they haven't taken her off the ventilator yet. Maybe by tomorrow."

Wilson exhaled in relief. Being off the ventilator meant her condition would be upgraded and she would be moved out of the ICU.

"All signs point that she is slowly coming out of it, but she still has a way to go." Cameron further explained.

"Okay. That's enough good news to go with." He let out a long exhaustive sigh. "Everything's going to be okay."

Cameron gave him a supportive smile. "You get a family out of it. Not a bad deal for someone who shoots blanks."

Wilson let a small chuckle escape him. It's a good thing he never stopped believing that things happen for a reason. They reached the locker area. "If you'll excuse me, I've got a party to get ready for."

------------------------------------

"Oh wow, another much needed onesie. How nice. And it's blue too." Wilson was well rehearsed on responses from Cameron.

Pamela and Cameron stood in the corner of the conference room, watching Wilson open the barrage of presents, admiring how he was holding up so well. "So, he's better today?"

"Yes, I think he's ready to go on with his new found responsibility."

"Good. I have a meeting with him tomorrow to go over family leave options. I was basically going to give him all he wants."

"Thanks for doing this for him. Sure we all could have just given him gifts, but he really needed a party."

"Everyone here is his family, Lisa's too. I think I would have been lynched if I didn't throw a shower." Pamela looked all around. "I don't see that miserable SOB that is his so called best friend."

"Trust me. That's the last thing Wilson needs. House signed over custody without even talking to him first. Sure it was the best thing to do, but there was no decency in the act."

"Dr. Wilson," Ramone said. "Here's one more present. There's no card on it."

Wilson looked at the small and soft present in front of him. It was wrapped in basic tissue paper and a bow was randomly thrown on it. He opened it, held up the contents and let out a huge smile. It was a black infant sized t-shirt that had a Harley motorcycle bathed in flames. It said "Raising Hell."

"I know who this is from." Wilson said.

Cameron and Pamela snickered at each other too. "Aww, House does care."

-------------------------------

"Please, come in," Pamela said enthusiastically, very pleased to see Wilson. "Excited about taking home the baby?"

"Yes." He looked around Cuddy's office, feeling obvious discomfort. It didn't feel right to see Pamela behind that desk.

"So let's talk about your leave." Pamela wanted to get to the point, noticing his unease. "You get twelve weeks by law. I'm sure in your case we could get family leave approved."

"I need it to be indefinite. I don't know when I'll be back."

Pamela was prepared for such a response. "I'm not surprised, but yes, that creates a difficult situation. It will take board approval, but I'm sure in your circumstances that won't be a problem."

"I was actually thinking about resigning."

Pamela gasped. "No James, I would never let you do that. You've built up too much tenure here. You'd be hurting your medical career.

"I can't do this job and be the sole caregiver of a baby. The demands are too great."

"I understand, but you don't have to quit. We can work something out. At worst you don't get to run Oncology anymore."

Wilson put his hands on his hips, a motion he usually saved for when lecturing House. "Pamela, it's great you are willing to work things out, but truth be told I'm overwhelmed. Right now I don't feel like ever coming back."

Pamela folded her arms, showing she wasn't about to back down. "Well, I don't accept. You take all the leave you need, but I'm not shutting the door. I don't want you to leave and have regrets later. If I have any say, there will always be a place here for you."

Wilson opened his mouth for more arguing, then relented. He really didn't know what the future would hold, so keeping open options wouldn't hurt. "Okay, we'll do it your way."

Pamela got up and moved closer, putting her hand on his shoulder. "James, don't think you are alone in this either. If you need anything from me or Eric, let us know. We are qualified babysitters you know."

"Why does that scare me?" Wilson said, wincing at the thought.

"We're better than House."

"Point taken. If Cameron, Chase, Brenda, Ramone, the night janitor, the entire pediatric nursing staff and my assistant aren't available, I'll call you next."

Pamela laughed. "You see, you're all set. Good luck to you."

"Thanks Pamela." He left the office, feeling that a huge weight had been lifted off him. Now he could focus on what really mattered, being a dad.

--------------------------

Wilson heard the knock on Cuddy's door. He wasn't expecting visitors, but then again, it wasn't his house. Given the late hour though, only one name came to mind. He opened the door, and without reaction let his guest come in.

"I brought beer," House said, holding up the peace offering.

"Took you long enough," he replied.

House made his way without invitation into the living room with Wilson following behind. "We'll need to order some pizza to go with our beverage. So where's the little brat?"

"In his crib sleeping."

"Bring him out. The WWE Midnight Smackdown starts soon. It's male bonding time."

"House, babies like sleep."

"How so? Being up at strange hours of the night is not an issue at that age."

Wilson couldn't argue that point and headed into the bedroom to get their son.

---------------------------------

"Oh no, not the steel chair!" House shouted as mayhem on the TV erupted.

He was on the left side of the couch, Wilson on the right, and Michael in his baby seat in the middle. House and Wilson both had their feet propped up on the coffee table, and all three had their eyes fixed on the action.

"He likes this stuff," Wilson observed, looking at Michael's wide eyes following the images on the TV.

"Perfect eye candy for young and old. There's something primal about men being allowed to be men." House held up his beer in a toast. "Here's to having no women around to ruin our evening."

Wilson raised his beer in accordance and drank. Even though he wished Lisa was home, for this one night, he was in full agreement.

-----------------------------

**a/n: One more chapter to go. It will close out all the story lines and I promise a nice fluffy ending. Thanks for reading!**


	32. A Joyous Celebration

**a/n: This is it! The final chapter. The fluff is back as promised. This chapter is Pamela/Foreman, Chase/Cameron centric. **

--------------------------------------

"I was surprised to hear from you Pamela."

Pamela plastered on her best insincere smile for her belligerent guest. "Why Jerry, so glad you could come. Can I get you a beverage?"

"Will it take time?"

"A few minutes, yes."

"Then forget it. Go on."

Pamela shrugged and took a seat behind her desk, handing him her prepared report in the process. The first page contained the 'cut-to-the-chase' summary that all execs loved to see. His face wrinkled in confusion.

"You're only cutting loose two physicians. Why these two? Their bottom lines are good."

"They are up on ethics violations charges, in which one has already pleaded guilty. We don't need that in our network."

"So underperformers get a pass?"

"For now, yes. If we truly want to be committed to quality community based health care, we need to start with our physicians. We treat them well, they treat the community well. I found that the main problems with most practices were soaring malpractice premiums and shrinking reimbursement rates. Good doctors are leaving the business, yet we are screaming over a shortage of reliable doctors. I bullet pointed for you my ideas for improvement on page 3."

Jerry flipped to page three and read the recommendations. His blank reaction didn't indicate either way if he liked or disliked what he saw. "You want a liaison staff?"

"Yes, these people would be responsible for building communication between the doctors and administration and creating assistance programs. They will offer training and education on new advancements, help with collections for delinquent accounts, negotiate group rates on malpractice premiums, and collect input from the various practices on reimbursement issues when its time to negotiate new contract rates. I know that won't work for Medicare or Medicaid, but every bit we can negotiate will help."

"What makes you think we have such bargaining power?"

Pamela scoffed. "Don't give me that. Our physicians as well as I do know that Trinity has a major enough presence where these companies need to do business with us. We are even powerful enough to lobby state lawmakers into passing favorable malpractice legislation as well. We are not the helpless victims here. If doctors in our network still don't choose to cooperate or work with us, then we can cut them loose. But let's at least give them a chance."

Jerry leafed through the remaining packet, skimming over the data provided. He put the papers down. "Okay."

"Okay?"

Jerry stood up. "Yep, we do it your way."

"Don't you want to review the supporting numbers and all the pretty charts I prepared?"

"Nope, I trust you."

Pamela knew she shouldn't be surprised by this, but she was floored. "Okay, since you are being agreeable, there's one more thing. I can't be your assistant and run this hospital. Lisa maybe out of her coma, but she'll be spending the next few months in a rehab facility, and she'll have to work her way back slowly. You need to hire someone new."

"Great, pick what job you want, and I'll hire someone else."

"I get to choose?"

"Those are decisions I usually defer to my assistant."

Pamela couldn't come up with anything clever to say. "Can I think about it?"

"Sure, have at it. The faster you decide though, the faster you get some help."

Pamela held out her hand to shake his goodbye. "As usual Jerry, it's been an experience."

He casually shrugged and left.

------------------------------------------------

The stress from the past few months was taking its toll. Foreman and Pamela had a rare day off, and chose to do something simple to get away from it all. Both were a little weathered from being the only solid rocks in a pool of insanity. They loaded themselves into Foreman's BMW and went for a nice relaxing drive. It was a sunny day, the birds were singing, the butterflies were fluttering, and Pamela just couldn't think of any other example to describe what a freaking beautiful day it was.

Normal people liked to drive in the country and take in the tranquil rolling hills or go to the ocean and feel the cool refreshing breeze hit them in the face. They were different. They liked patrolling the upscale suburbs. They were looking for Tony Soprano's house. They didn't really know what they would do once they found it, but it was a fun idea at the time.

"Plenty of eye candy," Pamela said joyfully over the rows of immaculate designed homes with their lush, landscaped lawns. "Oh, a golf course community. Let's see what's there."

Foreman laughed at the idea, but pulled in for fun. "Plenty of golf cart crossings." No golf carts though, since it was still too early in the season.

"Yeah, I'd rather hang out in that clubhouse there." To the right was a 19th century style colonial with ornate grandeur that overlooked a large man-made pond, tennis courts, and a swimming area. Once they passed that complex, they were barraged by one luxurious and prestigious home after another. Some were mansions, most were large homes, but all were elaborate in their own unique way.

"Stop the car!" Pamela ordered.

"What's wrong?" Foreman asked, freaked out by her sudden outburst.

"Look!"

In front of one of more eye-appealing homes in the neighborhood was a big 'For Sale' sign and another sign too, the one that got Pamela's attention. 'Open House.'

"Come on, let's go inside and pretend we're rich people searching for a new home. Aren't you dying to see what's inside?"

Foreman gave the home a scrutinizing look. "We don't need to pretend. We aren't exactly poor." Pamela's un-approving glare told him that wasn't the right answer. "Okay, why not? It seems nice, and they are setting themselves up for all types of crackpots with an open house."

"Want to bet we'll be hounded since we're black?"

"I'm pulling up in a BMW, they have to know we have status."

"$100 bucks that honky in there thinks we stole it," Pamela challenged.

"You're on."

----------------------------------------------

"You're the best wife a man could ask for." Chase knew sinking to giving compliments was low, but he didn't know how else to get her to calm down.

"Bite me." Cameron replied, heading down the hall toward Pamela's office.

"You know how important this is to me. I'm pleased that you're willing to compromise."

She stopped and turned around in a fury. "Compromise! I've been doing a lot of that lately. It's bad enough I just traded my fuel efficient car for the gas guzzling mini-van. I feel like a damn soccer mom."

"How can you relate the two things? They don't even compare."

Cameron gave him the evil eye before opening Pamela's door without knocking. Foreman was there with her, and both knew when a disagreement was in session. They gave her a cautious greeting.

Cameron placed the small envelope in front of Pamela. Chase stood behind her, showing his approval over her follow through on her commitment.

"What's this?" Pamela asked with excitement, noticing it was the size of an invitation. She opened it before she even got an answer. "A Christening?"

"Yep." Cameron replied, showing her lack of enthusiasm.

Foreman laughed. "At the Catholic Church nonetheless. You found one to do it even though Cameron's agnostic?"

"I associate with a liberal branch of the Catholic church," Chase answered. "All the rituals with none of the uptight rules. A child is never turned away for Baptism in this church."

Foreman turned to Cameron. "How in the world did he convince you to do this?"

"He threatened to divorce me. Apparently it wasn't negotiable."

"Ah, the spirit of compromise in marriage. Ain't that a bitch?" Pamela teased.

"That's not the only thing," Cameron bitterly replied. "Apparently, these Catholics, even the supposedly liberal ones, require we have godparents."

"These Catholics?" Chase exclaimed. "We're hardly a cult. Godparents are a sensible idea."

Pamela and Foreman looked at each other. She was smiling, he was dreading what was coming next.

Cameron hoped Pamela and Foreman would accept without her asking, but they weren't taking the bait. "Would you both do us-"

"We'd love to," Pamela answered without hesitation. Foreman looked at her like she was nuts. He actually thought about the awesome responsibility involved. "Will they allow non-Catholic Godparents?"

"Yep. Christians will do." Chase answered.

Pamela looked at the date on the card. "Oh Eric, it's six weeks from now. This is one of the possible dates."

He looked at the invitation. "That's the date then."

Chase and Cameron both looked at them confused.

"We have an announcement of our own to make." Foreman said proudly. "We were planning a party for around then, so we can do it that day to celebrate the Christening as well."

"Will our guests and yours fit in your town home?" Chase wasn't sure how their idea would work.

"It won't be at the town home. It will be at our new home." Pamela replied.

"You bought a new house?" Cameron was surprised.

"More like a 4,000 square foot estate in a country club community, but you could call it a house."

Chase and Cameron's jaws both dropped. "Why?" They asked in unison.

"We saw it at an open house, but it turned out the house was up for auction because it was seized by the feds. We ended up outbidding everyone and still walking away with a steal." Foreman bragged.

"Seized by the feds? Cameron asked. "Uh, did it involve some mobster who was whacked?"

Pamela laughed. "Oh, you watch too much Sopranos. They weren't mobsters, they were drug dealers. Anyway, would you allow us the honor of throwing you a party?"

"How are you planning throw a party and be godparents at a Christening in the same day?"

"It will be a fully catered event. We just have to be there in time to greet guests."

Foreman explained.

"Well then," Chase answered, "as long as you accept, so do we."

Cameron couldn't object. "I'm going to be in a church and a country club estate on the same day. It can be my personal seventh circle of hell."

"Then we're all set!" Pamela replied, sealing the deal.

------------------------------------------------------------------

They left the house ten minutes ago, and Cameron still hadn't said a word. She frowned while looking outside the window, still in a pout over having to do this.

Chase wasn't sure what to say. In the back of his mind he knew that they would face situations like this ever since they said 'I do', but there were some sacraments he couldn't ignore. "You've got to admit, they look adorable in their outfits."

Cameron couldn't argue that. She let out a smile. "I did have fun shopping for them. I just got annoyed every time to clerks told me how blessed this damn event was."

"It's a lovely ceremony. You'd be surprised."

"I'm going to be the only one in that cathedral that will not understand the significance of what's happening, and it's happening with my children. Pardon me if I'm not pleased."

"We've been through this already. Baptism of infants is a purification of their souls. They are granted strength and safety as they are accepted in front of family and the entire congregation into His mystical body. I'm not saying the kids have to be raised Catholic or start going to church every Sunday. They just need to be taken into God's protection."

"Whatever."

"This means a lot to me."

She toned down her defiant attitude. "I know, that's why I agreed to do it. I just don't have to like it, that's all."

They pulled into the church parking lot. Chase leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You may not understand, but in a strange way they will, and it will carry significance for the rest of their lives. Try to be open to it."

"I will." She saw Foreman and Pamela at the entrance. "Come on, our public awaits."

--------------------------------------------------

For a lifelong Catholic, even if he was a fallen one, this was a moment he'd always wished for. Chase could recite some of the Baptismal prayers from memory, and to hear them spoken for his own children gave him overwhelming joy.

He held up well when Pamela and Foreman presented two white silk handkerchiefs as vesture, and during the presentation and exorcism. Every word of the liturgy was riveting to him, as well as the symbolism throughout the sacrament.

_To this end is the sacrament of holy Baptism ordained, that in His name the Church may give welcome and blessing to them that is newly come into this world of pilgrimage, and that their souls may dwell in a body purified from the taint of evil and set apart for the service of almighty God._

He was so pleased to see Allison smiling at times. He hoped she would feel all the joy in the room over their babies being received into the kingdom of God. A tear or two slipped by him during the first anointment. The priest took the oil to his right thumb and made crosses at their throats and the nape of their necks, and then did the two signs of the cross over their entire bodies, one front and one back.

_"In the Name of Christ our Lord, I anoint thee with oil for safeguarding, may His holy Angel, go before thee, and follow after thee, may he be with thee in thy downsitting and thine uprising and keep thee in all thy ways."_

By the time the priest got to the Baptism, it occurred to Chase that the children were doing so well. That was about to change.

_"Emily Amanda Chase, I baptize the in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."_

He poured the water on her head and forehead three times while Pamela held her over the basin. Emily broke into a furious cry, which set off her brother before it was even his turn.

Foreman stepped up with Ethan next.

_"Ethan Christopher Chase, I baptize the in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."_

Since he was already crying, the water only made it worse. Chase laughed slightly over the precious moment and turned to find Cameron doing the same. Pamela and Foreman eventually got the two to calm down.

When the priest did the anointing with chrism, Chase felt a few more tears run down his cheek. It was probably from the declaration.

_..His strength may prevent thee in thy going out and thy coming in, and may guide thee into life everlasting. Be thou closed._

He was still overwhelmed when the priest did the reception, welcoming his children into Christ's Holy Church and placing each handkerchief he blessed on their shoulders. He pulled himself together, knowing it would all be over soon and he'd have to face the congregation.

The priest delivered the candles, symbolizing the ever-burning light of their spirits, and finally closed the Baptism by placing his hands on their heads. _Emily, Ethan, go in peace and may the Lord be with thee. _

Both children were handed back to an overjoyed Chase, who held both of them proudly while the priest finished his parting message to the congregation. He was now charged as the parent responsible for their spiritual guidance, and after today he was more than up to the task.

--------------------------------------------

"I still can't believe they bought that house," Cameron said while they were on their way to the party after the service. They had seen the house just before Foreman and Pamela had moved in, and considering it had far more square feet, the idea that many of those rooms were furnished now was laughable.

"It's a good investment," Chase replied. "Would you turn down a house like that for the price they got it?"

Cameron shook her head, still trying to figure out why they did it. "What in the world are two people going to do with five bedrooms, a guest house, and 4,000 square feet of living space? Plus Foreman doesn't play golf, so why a golf course community with a country club membership?"

"It's about time he learned. Besides, the only requirement in those communities is to be good socialites, and Pamela fits the bill there."

"Easy for you to say, rich boy."

Chase glared at her, disappointed that she knew that was never the case for him but she made the comment anyway. "Besides, the house I grew up in was bigger."

"Oh, go ahead, mention that to Foreman. Next thing you know they'll be upgrading to a bigger mansion down the road."

They pulled up into the half circle drive in front of the modern brick home. They were greeted by a valet. Chase took Ethan out of the car, while Cameron got Emily.

"They're certainly going out of their way to impress us." Chase said, handing the young man his keys.

They stepped up the brick entrance into the grand foyer inside. Pamela and Foreman were there to greet guests and direct traffic, fake smiles painted on to the hilt.

"Oh, so glad you are here." Pamela said with gritted teeth.

"I'm not buying the act," Cameron snarled. Pamela could be a socialite with everyone else.

"Sorry," she said shaking off her manners. "I was too lost in the part. So, how you doing girlfriend?"

"That's better," Cameron said, with a smile.

Chase shook Foreman's hand. He saw that the adjoining rooms were not empty. "Where'd all the furniture come from?"

"Our catering service actually brings in rented furniture for parties. It all goes back when this is done."

"This is costing you dearly, isn't it?" Chase laughed.

"Tell miss party planner over here. It's her salary paying for it anyway, so I'm just going to enjoy it."

"You bring swim suits?" Pamela asked. "I heard that babies love swimming."

"We did. This will actually be their first time in a pool." Cameron answered.

"They are six months old. How have you not taken them swimming yet?"

"Uh, winter, New Jersey, remember?"

"Oh, that makes sense, since there are no indoor pools in this state. We'll be sure to get out our cameras, especially when Emily starts screaming her fool head off."

Cameron wanted to say something snide, but Pamela was right.

"Food and drink are that way." Pamela pointed to the kitchen and two story great room. "Help yourself, mingle, get crazy drunk, I don't care. We have plenty of guest rooms, just as long as you don't mind sleeping on the floor."

"What about your guest house?"

"Oh, that's been rented out."

"Rented out? To who?"

"Yo, yo momma. How's it hanging?" A voice sneaking up behind Pamela said.

"You're letting Jamal live here?"

"Sure, as long as he pays the rent. He's quite harmless if he stays in his space."

"I've got a bet with her that he gets kicked out in two months," Foreman added.

"Come on Chase tribe," Jamal said. "I have appointed myself ambassador emeritus of the Foreman crib. Allow me to give y'all the grand tour."

Pamela threw them both a pleading glance, since she needed someone to keep Jamal out of trouble. Both shrugged and decided to follow. After all, a tour with Jamal had to be colorful.

Pamela and Foreman were elated to see their next guests. "Oh, Lisa, James, you made it!"

Cuddy had Michael in her arms, while Wilson pushed her in a wheelchair. Pamela looked behind them, noticing someone was missing.

"Our other child is hassling the valet right now." Wilson explained.

Sure enough, in limped in House, with a pissed off look on his face. "Never trust a greasy faced teenager with a foreign car."

"Right," said Wilson. "Especially my foreign car."

"I've got your back. What are best buds for?" House scanned the room full circle and his eyes landed on Pamela and Foreman. "Whoa, I'm sure the neighborhood association is having a field day now that they have their token black couple to brag about. A bit upscale for your tastes, don't you think?"

"We got to spend our money on something," Foreman said. He looked and noticed House had a paper grocery bag in his hand with something strangely shaped in it. "Let me guess, a housewarming gift? It wouldn't happen to be a singing bass, would it?"

House smiled impishly. "Oh, you know me too well."

"You already gave us one at the last housewarming," Pamela reminded him.

"Yeah, but with a house this big, I figured you needed two." House's eyes jumped as he looked straight ahead. "No need to show me around. The bar has been spotted. I'm all set for the night."

Pamela waved him off and turned toward the others. "I heard you're home now Lisa."

"Yes. I've been spending my days with both James and Michael and it's been wonderful. How's my hospital?"

"Great. Still going strong. We already had thousands of applications submitted for the diagnostics program at the med school. Jerry's little pet project seems to be taking off."

Wilson took the baby from Cuddy's arms, put him in his right arm and held out his left for Cuddy. She grabbed it and climbed out of the chair.

"Oh, you're walking now!" Pamela exclaimed excitedly.

"Yes, with some help. I wanted to surprise everyone."

"There are a number of people from the hospital in there that will be so thrilled to see you."

Cuddy smiled at Wilson and took in a deep breath. "Okay, let's make our entrance." They entered into the main room and Pamela and Foreman heard all the happy greetings from the foyer.

"I think the party is going to be a hit." Pamela said.

They noticed House already making a scene at that bar.

"I'm on it." Foreman briskly walked into the other room, leaving Pamela behind to laugh. A party with House was never boring.

-----------------------------------------

The entire Chase family emerged from the house in their swimwear. The pool was all fixed up and ready to go, looking practically brand new. Pamela had told them how the pool had fallen into disrepair and some work had to be put into it. They noticed a guest making a ruckus at the poolside bar, and had to say hello.

"Oh how cute, you've all got matching outfits. I guess the stretch marks had you abandoning the bikini, huh Cameron?" House commented, scanning over her new one piece.

"So nice of you to make the Christening," Cameron replied sarcastically. "Catholics too intimidating?"

"I was too busy stopping by the convenience store getting you gift." He reached in his pocket and handed Cameron two tickets. "You see, its religious themed."

"The Holy Rollers instant lottery. Don't I remember you giving us lottery tickets before?"

"I'm in a rut with gifts, but this is different. I was nice enough to scratch off the boxes for you."

Chase looked at the tickets. "He did give us a different gift. This one's a one dollar winner. He's never given a winning ticket before."

"You see, now you can start a college fund or something."

"Oh that was so thoughtful, thanks." Cameron sardonically commented. "Later House."

They headed over to the pool. "Okay, let's see how they do." Cameron climbed in the pool with Emily, Chase had Ethan. Both infants looked busily around at their surroundings, but weren't shocked by the water.

Cameron was giddy. "Oh, they like it."

Together they moved cautiously with babies through the water. Emily let out a euphoric smile.

"Oh, how sweet!" Cameron said. "Did you see her?"

"I certainly did," Chase replied, giving her his own smile. She gave him another big one in response.

Cameron held onto Emily tightly, swaying her back and forth, and got lost in thought. It must have been a pleasant memory, judging by the happy look.

"What'd you thinking about?"

"I remember the day I found out I was pregnant. I sat in the clinic and cried. Now it seems so silly, because I can't imagine life without these two."

"I can't either, nor would I want to." Chase happily agreed.

"I'll admit, the Christening today was really incredible. For the first time, I get why people do it. I almost cried when he presented them to the church as the newest members. Everyone was so thrilled, I just felt the love."

Chase leaned in and kissed her. She just made this great day even more special.

"Cannonball!" That was the last thing they heard before being pelted with waves of water. The twins started bawling.

"Jamal! What are you doing?" Cameron asked in outrage, water streaming off the top of her head.

"He paid me fifty bucks." They looked to where he was pointing, to see House there taking pictures.

"Got to record the big family moment." House said.

"I have ways of making you suffer!" Cameron threatened.

"Yeah, but I'm too busy laughing now to care." House zoomed in on Cameron's annoyed face for the next few shots. Next thing he knew, he felt someone from behind take the camera out of his hand and two other hands push him into the pool.

Foreman stood where House did before, with Chase next to him holding a camera in one hand Ethan in the other. They laughed hysterically, and Ethan broke into a huge baby giggle over their humor. Chase started taking his own pictures of a doused House. "You're right, getting this on film is a great idea."

Pamela came over to join the commotion, as well as Wilson, Cuddy and Michael. None could contain their laughter.

"I'll give you credit for one thing," Cameron said, brushing the water off of a now calm Emily's face, who was mesmerized the strange fully clothed man in the pool with her. "You know how to rally a crowd."

"Look at everyone around here mocking you House," Chase said. "With everything that's happened, we are all prime examples of the one of the important lessons of humanity that you've sadly forgotten."

"What's that?" House asked, treading water and spraying a mouthful upward like a fountain.

"When you least expect it, expect it."

-----------------------------------

**a/n: I wish I could say I'm all weepy over this being done, but I feel a huge accomplishment actually. This was in the area of 110,000 words, making it by far the largest thing I'd ever written. The ideas were getting thin. **

**Thank you everyone for all your very kind reviews, your support, reading this and not rolling your eyes (at least I hope you weren't). I know I go over the top with the fluff sometimes, so I'm happy that so many people stuck with this to the end. I'll never eliminate the possibility of a sequel, but it will be a few months before that is even possible. In the meantime, it's time to get ready for the 4th season. I'm keeping an open mind. Happy new season everyone!**


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